SCV Business Journal February 2016

Canyon Country · Newhall · Saugus · Valencia · Stevenson Ranch · Castaic · Agua Dulce

SANTA CLARITA VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL www.scvbj.com

$2.00 · Volume 7 · Number 10

february 2016

Scorpion Rebrands and Seeks Larger Building Page 4

■ MTS Healthcare CEO James Deck (left) and marketing specialist Gary Jacobs stand in their temporary office in Valencia. Photo by Katharine Lotze.

IT Healthcare Firm Launches with Perfect Timing By Jana Adkins SCVBJ Editor

I

f all goes well with lease negotiations this year, MTS Healthcare of Pasadena is planning to move its entire staff to Santa Clarita so that it can expand its work force, said its founder. Providing IT support to medical groups for the myriad medical software See MTS, page 6

■ Scorpion executive team members from left, Corey Quinn - Chief Marketing Officer, Jeffrey Kretz - Chief of Technology Officer, Rustin Kretz - Chief Executive Officer, Jamie Adams - Chief Revenue Officer, Eric R. Reuveni - Client Experience Officer, Dan Bedell - Chief Operating Officer, Michael A. Sauer - Chief Legal Officer, Matthew Shepherd - Chief Financial Officer. Photo by Dan Watson.

Sunkist: Profile of a Growers Cooperative

Refrigerated Door Company Relocates to Santa Clarita

By Jana Adkins

By Jana Adkins SCVB Editor

SCVBJ Editor Q&A with Santa Clarita-based Sunkist Growers Inc. President and Chief Executive Officer Russ Hanlin. The 123-year citrus growers cooperative, representing family farms, announced it was relocating to Valencia at 27770 N. Entertainment Drive in August 2014 after being based in Sherman Oaks for more than four decades. The cooperative offers more than 40 fresh citrus products. In October 2015 it launched a brand new website, giving Sunkist the ability to connect with consumers and trade audiences on a new platform. The SCVBJ asked Hanlin how the cooperative operates and benefits growers, to which he replied to our questions via email. SCVBJ: Sunkist was first formed in 1893? What was the basis of the founding? Russ Hanlin: Sunkist was formed in 1893 on the principle that a cooperative of growers together can do many things that a grower alone cannot afford to do. This foundation remains true today, from accessing the international market, promoting a brand name, leveraging a global transportation system, employing comprehensive research capabilities or gaining governmental access to overseas markets – being part of the Sunkist

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■ Sunkist courtesy photo.

cooperative allows our growers to thrive by going to market as a group. SCVBJ: How/Why did Sunkist select Valencia for its headquarters when it moved? Hanlin: In the past few years we have made significant advances on key strategic initiatives to position Sunkist for long-term growth and profitability. Our move was part of that strategy. Relocating our headquarters was a business decision to bring our operations closer to our growers, the heart of our business, while keeping our current employee base intact. The local community has been very welcoming during the entire process, and we are proud to welcome our business partners from all over the world to Sunkist’s new See NAME, page 17

fter 14 years of operation in San Fernando, CDS Doors LLC is relocating to Santa Clarita to accommodate the firm’s ongoing growth. Manufacturers of cooler and freezer glass display doors for refrigerated displays in supermarkets, convenience stores and the like, CDS Doors purchased a nearly 50,000 square foot building on Sierra Highway in Canyon Country, formerly occupied by Morton Manufacturing. “It was always a goal of ours to be able to own a facility in order to be able to be self-sufficient. We’ve come to the point in our business where we’ve outgrown our current facility in San Fernando,” said co-owner Fernando Calderon. “We saved as much as we could to purchase a building and saved enough money to use as a down payment. The timing (on this building) just happened to work out.”

■ The former Morton Manufacturing building. Google photo.

Founded in 2002 by three partners with combined decades of experience in the design, engineering and manufacturing of refrigerated glass doors, Calderon, Tim Karnes and Duane Beswick spent their first years in business conducting exhaustive research and development before producing their first doors See CDS DOORS, page 8

Contractor Buys Building He Constructed and Sold 10 Years Ago By Jana Adkins SCVBJ Editor

T

he builder who constructed the Westridge Executive Plaza on The Old Road in Santa Clarita and then sold it in December 2005, bought it back 10 years later, in the first week of December 2015. Constructed by Dale Donohoe of Valencia-based Intertex Properties, the property

was built in 2003 and finished in 2004 or 2005, Donohoe said. At one time the 64,388 square foot building was leased to Pardee Homes. They had 10,000 square feet on the ground floor before the housing market crashed. Major tenants that remain in the building today are Realty Executives and Wells Fargo. The Newport-Beach based company, however, offered it as a Tenants-in-Common See WESTRIDGE, page 10

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Canyon Country · Newhall · Saugus · Valencia · Stevenson Ranch · Castaic · Agua Dulce

SANTA CLARITA VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL www.scvbj.com

$2.00 · Volume 7 · Number 10

february 2016

Cover IT Healthcare Firm Launches with Perfect Timing

Editorial

Scorpion Rebrands and Seeks Larger Building

SCVBJ Editor

Sunkist: Profile of a Growers Cooperative

Jana Adkins

Refrigerated Door Company Relocates to Santa Clarita

jana@signalscv.com 661-287-5599

Contractor Buys Building He Constructed and Sold 10 Years Ago

Advertising

Features

661-287-5564

SCV Film Studio Sued by CBS/Paramount Studios. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

Major and National Accounts -

From Nothing to Something: Applying a Lifetime of Learning for Business Growth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

Marketing Director

Maureen Daniels

National Closed-Captioning Service Operates Office in Santa Clarita. . . . . . . . . .9

maureen@signalscv.com 661-287-5566

Entertaining the Masses Who Are Working Out at the Gym. . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

Sales Manager

Haimoff and Cserkuti Honored Among Firm’s Top Brokers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

Michael Madigan

EDC Awards Incentive to Firm for Relocating to SCV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

michael@signalscv.com 661-287-5561

Lundgren Tapped for Construction Management Award . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

Multi-Media Account Executives

Valencia apartment complex sells . . . . . . . .16

Alesia Humphries

MannKind Believes Its Troubles Are Also Its Opportunity to Revive Their ‘Baby’ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

Toni Sims Darmon McGruder

Lighting Design Firm Hires Operations Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 Pay Parity Law Takes Effect in California. . .19 Berkshire Hathaway deal closing . . . . . . . .20 Wesco Aircraft renews agreement with Gulfstream Aerospace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20

Articles SCV Voices: Music and Improved Study Habits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 SCV Voices: SBA Loans to Grow Your Business . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 SCV Voices: The Importance of Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 Column: VICA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

SCV Business Services The List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21 VIA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 SCVEDC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23 Chamber of Commerce . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24

Business Data Central

Monica Jaffe ■ Photo by Dan Watson.

Administrative Assistant

From the Editor Santa Clarita’s favorable business climate continues to attract businesses that have relocated from out of the area, and in this edition we profile a few of those that have chosen the region as their home: CDS Doors, MTS Healthcare and National Captioning Institute. And more deals are in the works making for a promising 2016, on the heels of 2015 in which Logix Federal Credit Union announced it had chosen Santa Clarita to be the home of its new headquarters. We also profile a couple businesses this month, Scorpion and MYE Entertainment, which have moved, or are moving, to larger facilities to house their growing operations. And as you thumb through the pages of

Jennifer St. Clair this edition we introduce a new quarterly feature “From Nothing to Something” profiling local companies that started from scratch and grew into successful enterprises. Lastly, stay tuned for a profile in a future edition of the SCVBJ’s new owners, the Paladin Multi-Media Group Inc. We expect only good things in the future as we continue to put the spotlight on the area’s thriving business community.

Art/Production Graphic Design Supervisor

Deborah Runions Photographers

Daniel Watson Katharine Lotze Executive Staff Publisher

Jana Adkins SCVBJ Editor jana@signalscv.com

Charles F. Champion II cchampion@signalscv.com 661-287-5578

Commercial Real Estate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25

Index of Products and Services

Residential Real Estate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27

Brain Balance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

RJB Law Offices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Brookfield Residential . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

RM Business Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Colliers International . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

SCVEDC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

JRL Electric . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

SCVEDC: John H. Shaffery . . . . . . . 9

Online

LBW Insurance Financial Services. . . 2

SCVEDC: Todd A. Stevens . . . . . . . .11

www.scvbj.com

Mission Valley Bank . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

SCVEDC: Dianne Van Hook . . . . . 13

NAI Capital . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

SCVEDC: Tom Miller . . . . . . . . . . .15

Poole & Schaffery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Valencia Acura . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17

Randal G. Winter Construction, Inc. . 27

Valencia Park Executive Center . . . . .10

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■ MYE Entertainment president Tony Garcia demonstrates the guitar pedals and effects that his company manufactures at their Valencia offices. Photo by Katharine Lotze.

Santa Clarita Valley Business Journal (a Signal publication), © 2015, is published monthly by the Santa Clarita Valley Signal newspaper, a Morris Multimedia company, 24000 Creekside Rd., Santa Clarita, Ca. 91355. The SCV Business Journal is intended to provide business executives with a cross-section of industry news and information, trends and statistics that impact our growing community. Information gathered in the pages of the SCV Business Journal has been collected from what is considered reliable sources, and is believed to be accurate, but cannot be guaranteed. Articles may not be reprinted without publisher’s written permission. For reprint requests, please call 661-259-1234. POSTMASTER: Send address change to SCV Business Journal, P.O. Box 801870, Santa Clarita, Ca. 91380-1870.

Vice President and Editor

Jason Schaff jason@signalscv.com 661-287-5515

A PROUD PUBLICATION OF

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SANTA CLARITA VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL

FEBRUARY 2016

Scorpion Rebrands and Rapid Growth Drives Need for Larger Building

■ Scorpion building with newly rebranded name hung on the building at its current location. Photo by Dan Watson.

By Jana Adkins SCVBJ Editor

W

hile website development marketing firm Scorpion drives leads and new client calls to firms across the country, the company began as a grassroots effort with five people working out of founder Rustin Kretz’s Valencia home. Those five people now number more than 270 employees for Kretz, CEO and president, and the firm’s rapid growth over the past 15 years has led to the need for a larger building to accommodate the even deeper growth it has planned as it rebrands and expands into new industries. Using the marketing expertise Scorpion first perfected in the embryonic era of the Internet by helping attorneys build an online presence and attract clients, the firm used the same technology and techniques – including an in-house staff of content writers – to expand into the healthcare field. Today it’s now launching a foray into two new industries – franchises and the home service field populated by roofers, plumbers, HVAC professionals and more. All of the growth, however, has led the company to rebrand itself in January. “Website design is still a very important part of what we do. It’s the cornerstone of what we offer, but today we offer much more,” said Corey Quinn, chief marketing

The scope of our work has expanded dramatically. Our brand name has been Scorpion Design over the years, but we decided to rethink that name to ultimately more accurately reflect all the services we provide.” – Matthew Shepherd, CFO, Scorpion officer for Scorpion. “The scope of work has expanded dramatically. Our brand name has been Scorpion Design over the years, but we decided to rethink that name to ultimately more accurately reflect all the services we provide.” The new logo went high up on the building of their Valencia headquarters last month, visible to commuters as they head north on Interstate 5. Going into 2016, Scorpion is investing in developing additional vertical markets of which it expects to have four primary verticals and even launch one or two others by the end of the year, Quinn said. Legal clients, the first industry the firm penetrated, represent the largest segment of its business in terms of clients and revenue, with their healthcare segment following. With offices in Valencia and Dallas, TX, the firm has generated over 1 million leads for clients. “We’ve continued to grow on the Inc.

5000 list in the last six years even though other companies in our space have been shrinking,” Quinn said. “We’re doing the opposite and we’re obsessed with making sure our customers’ success comes first. That approach has been a big key to our success.” Growing enough year-over-year to land on Inc.’s 5000 fast growing businesses list is not easy, but Scorpion added 40 people in 2013, 70 in 2014, and another 70 in 2015, said Matthew Shepherd, chief financial officer. That growth is squeezing the company out of the space it occupies in two different buildings, putting it on course to find or build a new office for its Valencia headquarters.

New building Scorpion operates out of six different office suites in two different buildings, a setup that is neither ideal nor cohesive in

a company driven by collaboration. Employees are located on different floors or have to walk across a parking lot between its office buildings on Avenue Stanford. The plan for expansion is to find a place where Scorpion can continue to grow its employee headcount with everyone under one roof. “We’ve been adding more square feet in the Valencia Corporate Plaza due to the footprint (space) here in this office,” Shepherd said. “In the past couple years, we’ve been keeping an eye out for different property solutions that would work for us and the need is heating up this year.” Wherever the firm finds its new digs, it will definitely remain in the Santa Clarita Valley, said Kylie Patterson, director of public relations, events and recruitment. The majority of the firm’s employees live in Santa Clarita, and the firm relies on employee referrals as it ramps up its staff each year, she said. Currently occupying 37,000 square feet, Patterson said that while building is an option, the firm is really looking for something more immediate, if possible, that will allow it to expand quickly. Last year, as the search began, Patterson referred to the relocation project to find new headquarters as the quest to find “Scorpion Plax.” “No location is concrete, but we’re definitely going to decide on a location at some point this year,” she said. ■

FEBRUARY 2016

SANTA CLARITA VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL

■ Penny Seechooratana senior web developer, seated, and Kristen Morin, senior web developer, work on a client’s web site with new Scorpion logo on wall. Photo by Dan Watson.

■ Jon Gauthier, senior web developer, with the new Scorpion logo on wall. Photo by Dan Watson.

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SANTA CLARITA VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL

FEBRUARY 2016

SCV Film Studio Sued by CBS, Paramount Studios By Jana Adkins SCVBJ Editor

I

ndependent film company, Axanar Productions, and its owner, Alec Peters, were sued in federal court for copyright infringement by Paramount and CBS Studios, according to a report by Courthouse News. Peters is also behind the new studio, Ares Studios, which opened in Santa Clarita in 2015. The lawsuit stems from a short film Peters wrote and produced called “Star Trek: Axanar.” He first produced a documentary-style film, however, called “Prelude to Axanar” by raising $101,000 in a crowdfunding campaign. It was broadcast on YouTube in 2014. Producers had originally only set out to raise $10,000. Earning praise from the legion of Star Trek fans, Peters opened his studio in Santa Clarita last year to film a full-length movie called “Star Trek: Axanar.” The screenplay is based on a story Peters wrote about the Axanar character 20 years ago. And the Kickstarter campaign for his latest project helped Peters to open the Santa Clarita studio. More than $1 million has been raised to date and filming was set to begin in January, before the suit was filed to stop production in December. While Peters’ spokesperson said it wasn’t possible to comment for this story while the suit is active, Peters did release a statement on the Axanar Productions website. “First of all, I was disappointed to learn about this through an article in an industry trade. For several years, I’ve worked with a number of people at CBS on Star Trek-related

MTS

Continued from page 1 applications that physicians and healthcare providers use to create and manage electronic records, MTS Healthcare expects to take over some 4,000 square feet of office space off Avenue Stanford in the Valencia Industrial Center. “We’re looking at spaces and have negotiated a lease, but it’s not executed yet,” said Founder and CEO James Deck. “Our targeted move-in date is the fourth quarter of this year.”

Perfect timing Launched in 2006, MTS Healthcare’s entry into the electronic medical records field couldn’t have been timelier. Thinking long term, Deck said his company has always focused on being a few steps ahead of the trends. As a result, his company was flourishing when the market downturn occurred. “The Affordable Healthcare Act really catapulted our business in 2009. We were in the right place at the right time,” Deck said. “And we were ready for it; we had prepared for it.” Supporting healthcare applications such as Allscripts, EPIC, e-MDs, NextGen or Mirth HIE, Deck parlayed his background as a software developer and systems engineer to form his cloud-based medical systems interface, customization, upgrades, security, and IT support services company. It even works with insurance companies interfacing with those systems that the healthcare providers use. Currently, the company provides IT services for more than 2,400 doctors who care for some 6.4 million patients across the country. It just added another 30 doctors in January. It contracts with companies like Northeast Valley Health Corp., one of the nation’s largest community healthcare centers, Regal Medical Group and Healthcare Partners. “We are a cloud-computing company and IT service provider that works exclusively with

projects, and I would have hoped those personal relationships would have warranted a phone call in advance of the filing of a legal complaint,” Peters wrote. “Nevertheless, I know I speak for everyone at Axanar Productions when I say it is our hope that this can be worked out in a fair and amicable manner.” The Axanar website itself clearly posts a disclaimer that Star Trek and all that the franchise entails is owned by CBS Studios Inc. and nothing on the website is endorsed, sponsored or affiliated with CBS/Paramount Pictures or the Star Trek franchise. In an interview with the SCVBJ in March 2015, Peters was very clear that the Star Trek franchise was owned by CBS/Paramount Pictures and said that therefore he couldn’t profit by anything he produced. At the time he said the production company, however, was allowed to produce the film as long as it remained non-commercial, meaning it was never sold including any merchandising surrounding it, such as film copies or other merchandise. He did say, however, that the cast and crew of some 60 people would be paid for their time. Paramount, however, disagrees that Axanar is allowed to produce a film related to the franchise even if it is for non-commercial purposes, saying in its complaint that Star Trek has “become a cultural phenomenon that is eagerly followed by millions of fans throughout the world. Unlike virtually any other television series or motion picture, the fictional ‘Star Trek’ races faces and characters, their technology, personality traits, and even their makeup, have been documented and given a historical healthcare organizations across the U.S., hosting electronic medical record applications,” Desk said. “We handle the clinical application hosting for the healthcare industry.”

Client focused One of the areas MTS Healthcare focuses on heavily, however, is clear communication to make it easy for customers to do business with the firm. “One way our team differentiates itself is that everyone on the team is required to communicate effectively, and be able to communicate and guide our doctors within healthcare reform (arena) work with new systems that they have to adopt,” Deck said. “We realized early on they have to be really great at that.” Not content to sit on the sidelines, MTS Healthcare is also developing its next tool for medical offices – the check-in kiosk designed to free up staff time, allowing patients to selfcheck in to see their doctors and make any required co-payments. “It relieves work for front desk staff so they can focus more on patient care and billing,” Deck said. “We’re really excited about it and are going big on this.” Continuously looking for innovative ways to serve customers also means MTS Healthcare has to plan for expansion.

■ Ares studio owner Alec Peters displays some of the science fiction movie props memorabilia on display in the lobby of the studio in 2015. Photo by Dan Watson.

texture by plaintiffs that extends far beyond the action on the screen.” The studios say they own the copyrights in the Star Trek franchise, period. But, Peters counters that Axanar is not doing anything new by making an independent fan film for non-commercial purposes and that it is based on a very long history and relationship between the fans and studios – the very fans Paramount says follow the story lines. “Fan support has been critical to the success of the franchise. It is the Star Trek fans themselves who are most affected here, for by suing Axanar Productions to stop making our movie and collect so-called damages, CBS and Paramount are suing the very people who have enthusiastically maintained the universe created by Gene Roddenberry so many years ago,” Peters wrote.

Paramount and CBS are seeking a judgment that the “Axanar” movies violate its copyrights, asking that further work be prevented from being done on the film, and is requesting up to $150,000 from the independent studio for each violation. Peters himself once played Garth of Izar in two episodes of the TV series, “Star Trek New Voyages: Phase II,” in 2012. He has also written for the Star Trek Prop, Costume & Auction Blog since 2006 and in 2008 created Propworx Inc., which sells costumes and set pieces through high-end auctions for the movie and TV industry. Representatives for CBS and Paramount did not respond to a request for comment for this story. The SCVBJ also reached out to an attorney specializing in first amendment rights, but did not receive a response. ■

new home because he said it’s far more business-friendly. And of course, it doesn’t hurt that he’s also a long time resident. But, the truth of the matter is, Deck said, that it’s more centrally located to his clients in the Santa Fernando Valley, Ventura, Antelope Valley and Bakersfield; and it’s still close to downtown Los Angeles. “The commercial space available is more suitable to our growth plans than in Pasadena,” he said, and the resources and community support exceeded what he could find elsewhere. “When I started looking at what it would take to move a company here, I made one phone call to Santa Clarita Valley Economic Development Corp. and they were so responsive,” Deck said. “They’re very welcoming and very easy to understand, making it very easy to operate within Santa Clarita. All of our questions were answered in a timely manner. We got plugged into resources quickly and that was a huge help.”

Deck says that’s a value that the city of Santa Clarita is providing, comparing his experience to opening an office in St. Louis where they didn’t have the resources to respond that Santa Clarita does.

Reason for waking up As for his reason for being in the healthcare service field, Deck calls it one of the reasons he wakes up every morning for. His firm’s goal is to make it easier for doctors to focus on their primary mission of providing healthcare to patients. It’s MTS Healthcare’s mission to reduce the complexity and costs of healthcare IT services; and its vision is to be the most innovative and customer-centric company possible. “In the end, people don’t want a complicated system to use, they just want to take care of patients,” Deck said. “We customize applications for doctors on a regular basis to meet the needs of the healthcare providers.” ■

Expanding Headquartered in Pasadena today, the company has 40 employees nationwide with offices in St. Louis, MO, and Morristown, NJ, as well. Slightly more than half of those employees work in the California office, however, and when MTS Healthcare can relocate to Santa Clarita, Deck plans to expand his workforce by another third, adding some 60 more positions over the next three years. He currently has a temporary office on Tourney Road and Magic Mountain Parkway that he stops in to work at with his marketing specialist. He selected Santa Clarita for his company’s

■ Gary Jacobs, back, and James Deck, front, look at MTS Healthcare’s website in their temporary Valencia office. Photo by Katharine Lotze.

FEBRUARY 2016

SANTA CLARITA VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL

From Nothing to Something

Applying a Lifetime of Learning for Business Growth

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IRS

Tax Problems?

By Ken Keller

“F

rom Nothing to Something” is a new quarterly series profiling successful business owners and leaders in the Santa Clarita Valley. Unlike our series, “Business Makeover,” where companies are looking for help to revamp their company, in this series we’ve asked business consultant Ken Keller to look at what steps companies have taken that made them successful. Founded in 2004, the Bank of Santa Clarita is a full service community bank and is the only bank headquartered in the Santa Clarita Valley. One of the founding partners, and now the CEO and Executive Chairman, is Frank D. Di Tomaso. The most current financials available for this publically traded business indicate the bank has assets of close to $280 million as of September 30, 2015. How did the bank grow from having zero assets in 2004 to this amount in just over 11 years, weathering a severe recession, increasing regulatory scrutiny, dramatic changes in the banking industry and a highly competitive market? The success factors behind the Bank of Santa Clarita can be summarized by a formula of passion, continuous learning, hiring the right people and letting them do what they are paid for, and persistence. Frank Di Tomaso doesn’t ever remember saying it, but family members and friends heard him talking about starting and running a bank when he was in grade school, and they were still hearing it when he was in college. The idea was implanted into his head by watching and listening to his father, who was the founder of the Bank of Beverly Hills in the 1970s. After earning a degree in Accounting at California State University Fresno, working for several banks, being exposed to all departments, and being focused on learning the internal loan management process, Di Tomaso realized that if he wanted to improve his income, skill set, marketability and profile, there was still more to learn and much more for him to do. Many loan officers prefer to ride a desk and let the bank create leads that they can then follow up on. Most loan officers wouldn’t leave the comfort of this situation, thinking that to make the shift they would have to endure long sales cycles, difficult and unfriendly prospects, and days filled with disappointment. Di Tomaso understood the ultimate goal was to be in a position to create his own leads. The learning curve was steep: how to target the right business demographic, make the initial contact and the necessary follow up calls, present, overcome objections and close deals. The smart business person looks for successful people and emulates what they do, saving time, headache and heartache. Di Tomaso identified the top loan producers at his employer and asked each to share their most useful tools that made them

Ray Bulaon,

ESQ., Founder and CEO

Call TODAY for FREE SPECIAL REPORT: “How To Solve Any IRS Problem!”

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Founder & CEO

■ Bank of Santa Clarita CEO and Executive Chairman Frank Di Tomaso stands in the bank’s Magic Mountain Parkway main branch. Photo by Katharine Lotze.

successful marketing and selling financial products. What they shared has served Di Tomaso well, and he has passed it on to others he has mentored and led: First, understand that this is a long-term situation. Decision makers usually are very cautious and slow to change banks. Second, regular and repetitive contact with clients and prospects is critical; being visible and accessible is essential. Third, rejection cannot be taken personally. Those who are successful in sales know that if being rejected is taken personally; it brings down the energy and enthusiasm, and kills the passion and spirit. No one who cannot take rejection well survives in any sales role for long. A thick skin is a must. Have a philosophy that it is “their loss” and there are plenty of prospects to get back to when one drops off the list. Fourth, the product offering must be known from every angle. In front of a prospect, the successful salesperson is well prepared for questions that will come out of the blue. Business owners aren’t bankers; they think differently and often speak far more openly. Not being ready for tough questions from a prospect may put a quick end to the potential relationship. Fifth, project confidence and decisionmaking abilities. The prospect is a decision-maker and expects to deal with the same level person, especially for financial services. Demonstrate the ability to get the job done because that raises the confidence of the buyer. When Valencia Bank sold to Union Bank in 2002, the opportunity appeared to create a new community-based bank in the Santa Clarita Valley. The business development experience, honed through the years, paid off as the new bank was being formed. With nothing to lose and everything to gain, Di Tomaso personally walked the Valencia Industrial Center several times to meet owners, CEOs and others in business. He handed out business cards, introduced himself and shared the plan behind the creation of the

new Bank of Santa Clarita. Personally and professionally, much was at risk as the bank formed and opened for business. As the doors opened, everyone understood two things. First, failure was not an option and total commitment was expected from every employee. Second, every employee, regardless of title, role, responsibility or pay grade, was first and foremost in business development. Without continuous new deposits and loans, the bank would not succeed. These two principles manifested into daily behaviors and actions that still exist today. There is a “no excuse” culture. No one cares about why things did not happen. The individuals on the payroll are paid to make it happen; to figure out solutions and to implement them. Hiring the right people with a strong work ethic and common values became more critical as the bank started up the growth curve. Di Tomaso found it helpful to hire from within the community, recruiting individuals into the bank who knew the Santa Clarita Valley because they were residents. With the right people in place, given the responsibility, the tools and the authority to act, the bank has grown substantially. The leadership team simply takes care of business and the customers. Di Tomaso says those key hires not only drive the growth of the bank from a financial perspective but enhance the visibility of the bank through community outreach and service. It was, and remains, critical to understand the mindset of the small and midsize business owner. This is the vast majority of the establishments in the Santa Clarita Valley. Owners are always seeking to improve their business and the bank proved to be a solid resource for financial help but, more importantly, was able to refer clients and prospects where the proper assistance could be found for other business issues. Talking the language of the customer was important and in many ways was a

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www.familyfinancelawyer.com competitive advantage. Some bank employees had been owners of small businesses themselves and could share their experiences. And the bank itself was an employer in the market. In addition to talking the language, the leadership of the bank was dealing with the same issues as many of the businesses in the area. Di Tomaso also knew that, as the leader of the bank, he had to up his skill set and take on new responsibilities for which he had limited experience. For the past decade, he has participated in a formal peer group of fellow entrepreneurs, CEOs and owners who face common issues. In addition to receiving ongoing executive education, Di Tomaso has used the group as a sounding board for challenges and problems, and as a focus group to determine interest in new services, discussing competitive analysis and in various growth strategies. Frank Di Tomaso is not the same individual who helped start the Bank of Santa Clarita eleven years ago and the bank has changed as well. It’s pretty clear that it took a team of dedicated, hard-working, committed professionals to create something very special at the Bank of Santa Clarita and they have a strong future in front of them. ■ Ken Keller, owner of Strategic Advisory Boards, periodically conducts interviews with Santa Clarita Valley CEOs, business owners and entrepreneurs. The purpose of these discussions is to learn the factors underlying the growth and success of locally-based enterprises. In this edition, he interviewed the CEO of the Bank of Santa Clarita for the Santa Clarita Valley Business Journal.

8

SANTA CLARITA VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL

CDS DOORS

SCV VOICES

Continued from page 1

Music and Improved Study Habits By Rebecca J. Ivatt Brain Balance Center of Valencia

F

or parents of children with ADHD, dyslexia or other processing disorders, homework time is often a struggle. Research shows that using music for better study habits is often highly effective. When another auditory sound is introduced — a dog barking, the phone ringing — it often distracts from the activity because it is in dissonance. Introducing complementary auditory sounds through music engages the brain by reducing distractions and increasing learning. Here are some types of music to incorporate during study time:

Classical Baroque Style for Memorization Baroque-style music hails from the Classical era. Most adults are familiar with Vivaldi’s “The Four Seasons” or Handel’s “Messiah.” The reason that they are so memorable is that the tones and beats are predictable. This allows the brain to enter the alpha state, which is

FEBRUARY 2016

ideal for retaining massive amounts of information.

Dance Beats for Stress Buildup All children need regular breaks when concentrating on grueling tasks like math or science, those with special needs more so. Take frequent dance breaks with peppy, rhythmic music. This helps kids to get the study work out of their system.

Funky Jazz or New Age for Creativity Science and creative endeavors are areas that can really trip up some children who have trouble paying attention. Music that is easy on the ear but unpredictable, with timbres that take surprising direction or tone, can help the brain to lose focus and wander, becoming open to creativity. On a side note for children who may have sensory-sensitivity play with the volume and proximity of music in relation to their location. There may be a need to start with fast, energetic music and transition to slower songs as their attention focuses. Try different songs for studying to see how your child responds. ■

Spark something new this year

in January of 2003. With representatives across North America, including Canada, the U.S. and Mexico, CDS Doors has grown to a workforce of nearly 40 employees. But, with their main competitor and former employer just over the hill in Sylmar, Anthony International, Calderon declines to discuss the size of the business in any more detail for competitive reasons. “We all worked for Anthony International at one time or another. It’s the world leader,” Calderon said. “But we came to a certain point where we felt another door company was required. We knew the smaller customers like the mom and pop stores weren’t given the attention they deserved and so we focused on a niche market; we focused on the smaller customers who are really the bread and butter of the business. So that’s when we decided to get together in 2002 and form this company.” CDS Doors spent time looking for a suitable building in the San Fernando Valley and Chatsworth, Simi Valley and Moorepark but couldn’t find a building or location that made sense other than Santa Clarita, he said. “It’s a little bit of a commute for our employees, but only about an extra 15-minute

drive and it’s against traffic. Plus, we already have some employees living in Santa Clarita, so it’s an even better commute for them; and we’ll be in a nicer, cleaner community.” Moving a manufacturing facility, however, isn’t easy, especially when you’re timing the logistics to avoid any interruption to clients. CDS Doors’ normal operating schedule will help a bit with that issue, Calderon said, as it normally operates only Monday through Thursday. For the move, the company plans to close down on Thursday and hopes to be up and running by the following Monday so that any interruption is as minimal as possible. The firm expects to make the move in the first or second week of February. The building was being painted in January to lighten the space up, as it was only a raw concrete color on the inside making the manufacturing plant a little dark. Light is very precious in a production environment, he said. But, the most critical work the firm is waiting on for completion is the installation of data cables so they can operate. “We have to prepare the offices for the computer system that is going in; the people that were there cut all of their data cables instead of disconnecting them,” Calderon said. “We have to have the data cables replaced or repaired in order to have connectivity.” ■

■ CDS Doors workers crafting refrigerator doors in the firm’s Sylmar location. Courtesy photo.

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National Closed-Captioning Service Operates Office in Santa Clarita By Jana Adkins SCVBJ Editor

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t may surprise some to know that the National Captioning Institute of Virginia opened an office in Santa Clarita last summer; but it came as even more of a revelation to learn that live sporting events and children’s shows were among the early adopters of closed captioning in the early 1980s. The first live sports event with closed captioning was the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1, 1981, according to the nonprofit organization. That version of communicating with the deaf and hard-of-hearing was a simplified version of a special system which connected to the New Orleans Superdome’s electronic scoreboard where the Georgia Bulldogs and Fighting Irish of Notre Dame squared off. By 1985, real-time captioning of commentary on a live sports event was provided for the first time for the Super Bowl that aired on Jan. 20 of that year. And in September 1985, ABC’s Monday Night Football became the first sports series to include real-time captioning of commentary. Children’s programming followed next when an educational science show produced by Children’s Television Workshop aired on PBS with closedcaptioning from 1980 to 1988. And later in 1980, “Sesame Street” followed suit, becoming the second children’s show to include captions. Formed in 1979, the National Captioning Institute has since been providing closed captioning not only for the benefit of the deaf and hard-of-hearing, it has also become a tool used by those learning to speak English as a second language, said its President and Chief Operating Officer, Jill Toshi. The firm also provides the same service for movies, scores of TV shows and other broadcast services.

“We’d had an office in Burbank for approximately 20 years because of its proximity to the production houses and studios. At the time it made sense for us to be there because that’s where the business was going on and we could provide pre-recorded services,” Toshi said. “As technology evolved, it made that proximity less important and so we looked for a location less costly than Burbank.” So the group signed a lease for 4,000 to 5,000 square feet of space on Constellation Road and relocated to Santa Clarita in August. Whereas being located in Burbank was helpful when physical media such as tapes would be provided, digital files are now used in the process of converting audio to close captioned text. With a staff of 25 in Santa Clarita, the hope is to grow the staff to 35. Although the space doesn’t seem that large for the size of the staff, closed captioning is provided out of the office 24/7, 365 days a year so that not many people are in the office at the same time, Toshi said. But perhaps the most difficult of their tasks is when their captioners are turning audio into text onto the screen in realtime for a live broadcast. The translator of sorts is hearing the broadcast at the same time as the audience is hearing it and that can be very stressful, she said. Using rooms that are referred to as studios, a captioner works with a computer and a phone in a quiet room producing real time closed captioning in two ways. In one case a stenographer, or court reporter, transcribes speech into a special machine to create the captions on-screen. In the second case, the nonprofit also uses a voice recognition system where a person re-speaks everything they hear into the system while the software translates it. That person also helps with punctuation and by adding any other important information for the software, Toshi said.

■ Stephanie Veverka, managing supervisor of voice writing, right, instructs trainees from left, Anita Miller, Jacob Buras, and Bridget McGovern in a studio as they learn to use the captioning software and equipment at National Captioning Institute in Valencia. Photo By Dan Watson.

The institute also offers descriptive audio for blind viewers by adding an audio track to a broadcast or movie that describes the onscreen information the blind otherwise wouldn’t have access to. “Our mission is to provide access to communications for those who need it,” she said. Producing 150,000 hours of close

captioning services per year in both English and Spanish, the National Captioning Institute’s audience size is in the millions, according to Toshi. But, its services aren’t only for the hard of hearing. “Closed captioning services are used by people in environments that are very noisy, like airports, gyms and more,” she said. ■

SCVEDC recognizes the leadership shaping our local economy.

John H. Shaffery Executive Committee Member Board of Directors

JOHN H. SHAFFERY – As managing partner of Poole & Shaffery, LLP, John has nearly 25 years of trial experience, having successfully tried cases throughout California, with five defense verdicts in the past five years in four different counties. He specializes in civil litigation focusing on product liability claims, large loss and catastrophic claims, trucking/transportation claims, professional liability, labor/employment claims, and has argued Appellate matters before the California Courts of Appeal with two Appellate court victories within the past year. He is a Senior Fellow in the Litigation Counsel of America, with an AV Preeminent rating from the Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory. He is an eight-time California “Super Lawyer,” frequently lectures and performs mock trial throughout the country and publishes two monthly legal newsletters. He is past chairman of the SCV Chamber of Commerce board and a founding principal and current executive board member of the SCV Economic Development Corporation.

Regional leadership for a regional economy.

■ Michaela Speaks uses proprietary captioning software and a microphone to caption a political broadcast at National Captioning Institute in Valencia. Photo By Dan Watson.

www.stillgolden.org

10

SANTA CLARITA VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL

FEBRUARY 2016

WESTRIDGE

SCV Voices

Continued from page 1

Valencia Park Executive Center under New Ownership By Vartan Hovsepian

A

fter 10 years of ownership by an out-of-area financial institution, Valencia Park Executive Center (VPEC) located at 25115 Avenue Stanford in Valencia has a new owner that is prioritizing active engagement with the local community. Originally built for Lockheed Martin in 1983, VPEC can accommodate tenants ranging from large institutions to individual private offices. VPEC’s new ownership is dedicated to serving its tenants based on the guiding principles of integrity, respect and accountability. Since acquiring the building, the new ownership team has been busy, participating in SCV Chamber of Commerce events and SCV Startup Weekend, communicating with existing tenants and attracting new tenants. These efforts are focused on helping local businesses succeed in partnership with VPEC. As a platinum sponsor of Startup Weekend held at College of the Canyons, VPEC became headquarters for the winning team, Go Inturn. Go Inturn is a web-based platform that will allow interns and employers to have a better quality experience finding one another and engaging in a mutually beneficial

working relationship. Go Inturn seeks to diminish the incidence of intern abuse and create a platform that makes the whole process easy and rewarding for both parties. VPEC also recently signed a lease with RBP Insurance. RBP Insurance is a fullservice Insurance Agency established in 1960 and services both individuals and businesses. RBP handles property and casualty insurance as well as life, health and annuities. The focus of the agency is to take a customized approach to provide one stop shopping for each client’s individual needs. Finally, Arcam Home Health Care decided to launch a new business providing in-home medical services to local residents in Santa Clarita Valley and most cities in Los Angeles County, with administrative offices at VPEC. Arcam’s owners reside in Santa Clarita, and look forward to serving their local community. VPEC offers a professionally managed building, with onsite support services, landscaped courtyard and expansive window line. VPEC is also offering free rent incentives for new tenants. Office suites between 600 to 10,600 square feet are available, with up to 13,500 square feet for a full floor tenant. ■

investors holding. But with the downtown of the market, their timing worked out against the 35 different owners During the downturn, Pardee decreased the amount of space they leased to the point where they moved out completely a year ago, Donohoe said. That left the owners with 10,000 to 12,000 square feet of space sitting empty – and a 10-year note due on the property. “The timing was horrible for the owners,” Donohoe said. “When they bought the property in 2006, they put it on a 10year loan which expired in December, exactly when they had their lowest occupancy to date.” “We sold it at the height of the market, and we bought it when the loan was coming due. It was the perfect storm for us to pick it up; we were very fortunate,” he said. While terms of the deal weren’t disclosed, Donohoe said they got a pretty good deal on the property – “millions less than what we sold it for.” Of course, all real estate properties took big hits on their value

during the economic downturn. The property was first acquired in late 2005 by CORE Realty Holdings LLC for slightly more than $23 million, according to a press release issued at the time. Another pattern of coincidence associated with the Westridge Executive Plaza, however, is that the same brokers have been involved with the property since before it was constructed. The original broker who sold the land in the first place, Craig Peters with CBRE, initially leased out the space for Intertex, Donohoe said. He and his team then sold the building for Donohoe in the mid2000s, and now sold the same building back to him in 2015. Not only that, CBRE is now leasing the available spaces out for Donohoe once again. Both Peters and CBRE broker Doug Sonderegger “have their fingerprints all over the building,” Donohoe said. “Today, 81 percent of it is occupied and we’re working to get it back to 95 to 98 percent,” he said. Nine spaces are available ranging in size from 915 to 5,206 square feet of space. ■

■ The Westridge Executive Plaza on The Old Road has been purchased. Courtesy photo.

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Entertaining the Masses Who Are Working Out at the Gym By Jana Adkins SCVBJ Editor

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YE Entertainment Inc. relocated their operation to a new 8,000 square foot facility in Valencia recently due to the growth of its business, said its founder. Developing and manufacturing wireless audio technology for ďŹ tness equipment in gyms, the ďŹ rm has experienced a rapid annual revenue increase for the last 10 years and needed more room for its multiple business divisions, said Founder and President Tony Garcia.

While I have some audio/ W video background, I’m not an engineer. I’m an idea guy; I come up with ideas and concepts and surround myself with really good engineers. They make the ideas come to life.â€? – Tony Garcia, Founder and CEO, MYE Entertainment A self-described serial entrepreneur – this is Garcia’s third successful business – MYE Entertainment develops and manufactures technology-based audio platforms and equipment for the commercial ďŹ tness business, bringing entertainment to the gym workout experience, he said. The ďŹ rm manufactures LCD TV audio/ video connections for people whether they’re working out on cardio equipment or walking throughout a ďŹ tness club. The wireless technology allows patrons to remain plugged in to the TV or station of their choice regardless of their location in the club or their workout routine, he said. Another division is operating in the music arena, working with major music retailers and using an amp switcher Garcia developed through another company of his, Decibel Eleven. The device eliminates the buzz and hum than can be caused with wireless connections. “We also just moved into the mobile

space. We released an app for healthcare members so they can listen to a program through their phone without watching a TV screen,â€? Garcia said. “Some people want to listen to a game while doing stretching (exercises) or walking around the facility and listening.â€? MYE Entertainment just celebrated its 10th anniversary, having launched in 2005. But it isn’t Garcia’s ďŹ rst business.

The “Idea Guyâ€? Not new to the entertainment ďŹ tness industry, Garcia started Broadcast Vision in the ďŹ tness industry 22 years ago using technology that became available with Walkman radios. That ďŹ rm applied the technology to health clubs, sports bars and the real estate industry. “We developed the ďŹ rst product for health club members to listen to TVs on their FM radios,â€? Garcia said. “We used the same technology in the 1990s for real estate agents where potential buyers could pull up to a house, tune in to a speciďŹ c FM channel and get a Realtor’s a recorded message describing the house.â€? In the early 2000’s he founded Enercise Inc., also offering a line of ďŹ tness related entertainment products. The company was acquired in 2003 by Club Com to integrate with another purchase, Cardio Theater. After serving as Vice President, where he prepared the company for sale to Precor Inc. – formerly located in Santa Clarita – Garcia then departed in 2005 to start MYE Entertainment. “While I have some audio/video background, I’m not an engineer,â€? Garcia said. “I’m an idea guy; I come up with ideas and concepts and surround myself with really good engineers. They make the ideas come to life.â€? And those ideas have led his company to own a majority share of the market as the “largest provider of wireless TV audio receivers and digital TVs,â€? he said.

Market penetration “We are the largest provider of our technologies to the ďŹ tness industries and we own a fairly large share of the market,â€? he said. “In some of the wireless technologies we have over 70 percent of the market.â€? “We have a little under 60 percent of the LCD TV market share and manufacture directly for the largest ďŹ tness brands in the world,â€? Garcia said. “When you step on the

■MYE Entertainment president Tony Garcia stands in the company’s new office lobby in Valencia. Photo by Katharine Lotze.

(exercise) equipment, it doesn’t say ‘MYE’ on it, but we make the equipment for them. We make it for six of the largest companies.â€? The company works with equipment manufacturers like Cybex, Life Fitness, Matrix, Precor, Octane, Star Trac, StairMaster, SportsArt and others. MYE Entertainment offers two types of technology. One operates with LCD TVs that are integrated into cardio machines themselves. The other is for clubs that put their TVs on the walls and MYE provides the wireless technology that allows the customer to select which TV in the room they want to listen to. And the ďŹ rm’s research and development efforts led to its expansion.

New digs With 18 core employees and as many as another 40 when engaged in research and development, MYE Entertainment needed a larger warehouse for inventory. Products are manufactured in the U.S., Korea and China, but MYE handles a lot of its own shipping directly from its warehouse facility. The privately held company ships over 40,000 wireless receivers and 25,000 LCV TVs a year speciďŹ cally for the commercial ďŹ tness industry. “About 300,000 people are using wire technology per day and we’re in probably every gym around the world,â€? Garcia said. “Millions of people are using our technology around the world because of the brands we sell to.â€? â–

SCVEDC recognizes the leadership shaping our local economy.

Todd A. Stevens Executive Committee Member Board of Directors

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Regional leadership for a regional economy.

â– MYE Entertainment president Tony Garcia and vice president of operations Frank McDonald unbox a new TV for Precor gym equipment at their Valencia offices. Photo by Katharine Lotze.

www.stillgolden.org

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SANTA CLARITA VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL

FEBRUARY 2016

SCV VOICES

SBA Loans to Grow Your Business By Marianne Cederlind

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ven with the creep in interest rates experienced at the end of 2015, rates are still very low making financing an attractive option. If you own a small business, now is a great time to ask your banker about what the SBA can offer a business such as yours. Because the programs are many and varied – and the qualifications for each are specific – working

with an experienced SBA Lender to understand a bit more about how the SBA programs work is a logical first step. The SBA provides a number of financial assistance programs for small businesses. Each has been specifically designed to meet key financing needs. The most common and broad reaching are the Guaranteed Loan Programs, which facilitate debt financing. It is important to understand that

the SBA does not make loans directly to small businesses. Rather, the SBA sets the guidelines for these loans, which are then made by the SBA’s lending partners. When a business applies for an SBA loan, it is actually applying for a commercial loan that is structured according to SBA requirements. SBA loan guaranty requirements and practices can change as the Government alters its fiscal policy and priorities to meet

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current economic conditions. Therefore, you can’t rely on past policy when seeking assistance in today’s market, making it even more important to work with a lender that can guide you through the process and identify what type of program may best fit your needs. When it comes to the purchase, refinance or renovation of commercial real estate, borrowers should take a close look at the SBA 7(a) Loan Program. The SBA 7(a) Loan Program offers borrowers up to 90 percent financing for the purchase of owner/user commercial real estate, fully amortized with no balloon payments (owner/user is defined as a minimum of 51 percent of total occupancy). With a maximum loan amount of $5,000,000 and terms as long as 25 years for commercial real estate acquisition, construction or refinance, the 7(a) Program could serve as a real solution to many borrowers. Qualifying for an SBA loan may be easier than qualifying for other, more traditional forms of financing, as the SBA programs generally allow for a higher loan to value ratio, longer amortization periods and may even consider the projected income of the business (not just historical cash flows) when making a credit decision. These factors can be extremely helpful, particularly to a rapidly growing company. Again, SBA 7(a) loans can be used by qualifying borrowers to purchase or renovate or refinance real estate. These loans can also be used for acquiring fixed assets, such as heavy machinery or other equipment, restructuring current debt, working capital and in some cases can even be used to fund the acquisition of a new business. SBA 7(a) loans and other types of specialized lending make it possible for qualified businesses to get the financing they need, often times with much more flexible terms than more conventional loan options. Two resources to help you learn about SBA and other forms of specialized lending are available at www.sba.gov or www.MissionValleyBank.com. ■ Marianne Cederlind is the SVP / Chief Business Banker at Mission Valley Bank. Mission Valley Bank is a locally-owned, full-service, independent, commercial bank with Preferred SBA Lender status serving the San Fernando and Santa Clarita Valleys. Marianne can be reached at (818) 394-2333. MissionValleyBank.com.

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SANTA CLARITA VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL

13

Plans temporarily on hold for new medical offices, parking structure in Valencia

■ Unoccupied property at 26877 Tourney Road in Valencia that used to house Borax. Photo by Dan Watson.

By Luke Money

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lans from Kaiser Permanente to remake vacant buildings in Valencia into medical office space and build a larger replacement parking structure nearby were put on hold Jan. 19 until possible Native American cultural resources in the area could be reviewed. Kaiser has been seeking to convert the former Borax offices site at 26877 Tourney Road into what the health care provider calls the “Santa Clarita Specialty Medical Offices.” The project also calls for the demolition of an existing four-story parking structure, now unoccupied, and replacing it with a larger, seven-story parking structure. Members of the Santa Clarita Planning Commission were scheduled to vote in late January whether to approve the proposal, but instead they continued the matter to a future date. The delay was necessary, city officials said, because the Fernandeno Tataviam Band of Mission Indians requested an official consultation on the project. That consultation “entails basically a records search and investigation of any potential culturally sensitive areas of significance as it relates to the tribal group,” said James Chow, a senior planner with the city of Santa Clarita. The earliest the matter could come back to the commission is March 1, Chow said. Under the Kaiser proposal, the former Borax site would be converted into an approximately 115,600 square foot medical office, according to city documents. Once completed, that office building “would accommodate outpatient medical care facilities, urgent care services, a clinical laboratory, specialized medical suites and a

patient pharmacy,” city documents say. A small portion of what was once a research-and-development area would be demolished “to allow for a larger loading dock area” as part of the project, city documents say. Also facing the wrecking ball on the approximately 4.16-acre project site would be a currently unoccupied 49.5-foot-tall, 299-space parking structure. In its place, Kaiser proposes to build a new, seven-story parking garage that would include up to 567 spaces. Kaiser purchased the property at 26877 Tourney Road in 2012. In March of 2013, the medical group said it didn’t expect to open before the end of 2015 due to extensive remodeling, HVAC, and electrical issues that would have to be addressed. “Kaiser Permanente is pleased to confirm we are moving forward with expanding health care services for our members who live and work in the Santa Clarita Valley” by pursuing approval of the Santa Clarita Specialty Medical Offices, reads a statement from Kaiser provided to The Signal. “Since approving this project in 2013, we’ve been working closely with the appropriate local agencies to obtain the necessary approvals and begin renovations to the building and other existing structures on the site,” the statement says. Kaiser Permanente already has a medical office building in the area, at 27107 Tourney Road. There are currently no plans to replace that building. “We expect to secure all approvals and begin the renovation work in spring, with an anticipated opening date of 2017,” the Kaiser statement reads. ■ This story first published in The Signal newspaper on Jan. 21, 2016.

SCVEDC recognizes the leadership shaping our local economy.

Dianne Van Hook Executive Committee Member Board of Directors

DR . DIANNE VAN HOOK is serving in her 28th year as the CEO of the Santa Clarita Community College District. When hired in 1988 at the age of 37, Dr. Van Hook was then the youngest individual ever appointed as a California Community College CEO and was one of only five women to serve as a district-level CEO at that time. As California’s current longest-serving community college CEO, Dr. Van Hook has established a reputation for innovation and collaboration during her 45-year career as a higher education leader in California. She presides over a district that covers 365 square miles and serves an ever-increasing and diverse population numbering more than 250,000 people.

Regional leadership for a regional economy.

www.stillgolden.org

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SANTA CLARITA VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL

FEBRUARY 2016

Haimoff and Cserkuti Honored Among Firm’s Top Brokers

SCV VOICES

The Importance of Circuit Breakers

By Jana Adkins

By Joe Levis

C

Owner

A

circuit breaker is an important part of electrical wiring and is a very essential safety feature. Without circuit breakers, household electricity would not even be practical because of the potential danger of a fire and other hazards. It is an automatically, operated electrical switch that is especially designed to protect electrical circuits from any kind of damage if there is a short circuit or overload. The main function of the circuit breaker is to detect any fault condition and stop continuity in order to discontinue the flow of electricity. Short circuits can be responsible for the outbreak of fire in homes. A short circuit is generally an abnormal low-resistance current, in between two nodes of an electrical circuit that are usually meant to have different voltages. This ends up having an excess flow of electric current and causes circuit damage that can lead to a fire, overheating and even explosion. Short

circuit mainly occurs due to overloading or can be due to fire breakout. To avoid this, a good circuit breaker is important to protect your home. It is also necessary to get the electrical appliances checked by a licensed and professional electrician. Most homeowners prefer breakers over fuses because of the safety factor associated with them. Circuit breakers come in different shapes and sizes and a person should choose the one that suits the electric equipment at the home. Circuit breakers are very important for the safety of a house and all residential electric specialists know that. ■

JRL

ommercial brokers Yair Haimoff and John Cserkuti in Valencia have been named among the Top 20 brokers for NAI Capital in the Southern California market. They were in a group of 45 of the firm’s brokers who qualified for the honors this year. Haimoff is the executive vice president and branch manager of the firm’s Valencia branch office. He was named as the second top broker in the firm. Haimoff specializes in the leasing, purchase and sale of industrial, office and investment properties. Specializing in retail space, Cserkuti, senior vice president in the Valencia office, came in at the number 12 spot. He represents some major grocery-anchored retail centers in the Santa Clarita Valley. “Our Capital Club honorees truly demonstrate the ■ Yair Haimoff qualities we look for in our brokers. Today’s marketplace is highly competitive,” CEO Tim Foutz said in a statement. “Their success is built upon hard work, resourcefulness, local market knowledge, commitment to their clients and collaboration.” Brian Luft of the West Los Angeles office took the number one spot. The Top 20 brokers are slated to be honored at a luncheon Feb. 2 at the Jonathan Club in downtown Los Angeles for the high number of transactions they executed. The firm typically honors the top 20 percent of brokers, placing the honorees into the NAI Capital Club. “We are especially pleased with the diversity reflected among our top brokers,” NAI Capital President and CFO Rachel Howitt said in a statement. “They represent top men and women in the industry and include both repeat winners and a high percentage of first-time honorees.” ■ ■ John Cserkuti

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FEBRUARY 2016

SANTA CLARITA VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL

15

EDC Awards Incentive to Firm for Relocating to SCV

â– Owner Brian Greenberg, bottom left, poses with the Richard Photo Lab staff as they gathered in the photo finishing room at their new Valencia facility in 2015. Photo by Dan Watson.

By Jana Adkins

to the California Resources Corp. which opened an operation for their technical/ professional services team – namely, geoscifter launching the Industry Clus- entists and engineers – in Santa Clarita earter Attraction Incentive program ly last year, Schroeder said. The SCVEDC in partnership with Los Angeles has also pledged funds to Logix Credit County in 2014, the Santa Clarita Valley Union when it builds its new headquarters Economic Development Corp. issued a in Santa Clarita after eight decades of opcheck for $23,694 to Richard Photo Lab eration in Burbank. on Jan. 12, after the ďŹ rm relocated to Santa “We’ve also pledged an amount to anClarita last year with 38 employees. other aerospace company we’re working The money represented a reimbursement with right now to relocate from North Holof fees incurred in lywood,â€? Schroedassociation with er said. “They have the relocation, in21 employees and cluding sanitation are eligible for up district fees which to $21,000 if they can be very onerous have to spend that and challenging for much in fees.â€? businesses, said The lifespan Holly Schroeder, of the original president and CEO $200,000 incenof the SCVEDC. tive pool is simply The incentive when the funds helped remove the – Holly Schroeder are expended and obstacle of relocatPresident/CEO, at that time the ing to the region. SCV Economic Development Corp. SCVEDC will deLaunched with cide whether to a $200,000 fund renew or ďŹ nd other funds. The existing to attract new businesses in the area’s target money should fund the program through industry clusters, the economic group is able 2016, Schroder estimates. to award up to $40,000 to a business. The “In the case of Richard Photo Lab, the program ofďŹ cially began March 15, 2014, fees were a burden on them; this incentive to help businesses who move in the digital is going to be a great help to them. They media and entertainment, aerospace and de- are thrilled, as it helped them move and fense, biomedical technology, information continue to grow their company, but in technology or advanced manufacturing in- Santa Clarita,â€? Schroeder said. “We think dustries – key clusters operating in the Santa the incentive demonstrates that the Santa Clarita Valley is committed to being busiClarita Valley. Incentive awards have also been allocated ness-friendly and helping companies.â€? â–

SCVBJ Editor

A

W th We think the incentive demonstrates d that the Santa Clarita Valley is committed to being business-friendly and helping companies.�

SCVEDC recognizes the leadership shaping our local economy.

Tom Miller Executive Committee Member Board of Directors

TOM MILLER "*0 1 !1+.1-$01 /.-/1 (/*+-/ /*0/ 1"*/' /-0'1#*,&1 /*-1 +"$1 %$,,(1/.' &0-1$+)1 +#01 $+(01 ,* +."1/-1 /"+%1 , .-/+. #-0*1"*/' /-+."1#*,&1-$01 .+ 0*)+- 1,#1 0..0))00 1 ,&1)!0.-1 1 0/*)1 ,* +."1#,* +*% +-1 +- 1$,('+."1!,)+-+,.)1#*,&1)/(0)1 /)),%+/-01-,1 1,#1 !0*/-+,.) 1 /-0*1 ,&1 0%/&01 0.+,*1 1,#1 !0*/-+,.)1#,*1 %&0 *,%0* 1)-,*0)1+.1 $+(/'0(!$+/ ,&1 ,* 0'1+.1 & /+ 1 .'+/1#,*1- , 0/*)1(0/'+."1-$01'0)+".1/.'1'0 0(,!&0.-1,# /1%,.) &0*10(0%-*,.+%)1*0-/+(1%,.%0!- 1 .1 1$01 ,+.0'1 0)-#+0(' ,.1/1%*,)) # .%-+,./(1-0/&1-$/-1(/ .%$0'1-$01.0 1 ,&1 */'(0 1 .-0*./-+,./(1 0*&+./(1/-1 1 0.0*/(1 /./"0* /-1 0)-#+0('1 /(0.%+/ )+.%01 0%0& 0*1 1-,1-$01!*0)0.- 1 ,&1/(),1, 0*)00)1-$01 0)-#+0('1!*,!0*-+0)1+.1 $0*&/.1 / )1/.'1 /.-/1 .+-/

Regional leadership for a regional economy.

www.stillgolden.org

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SANTA CLARITA VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL

FEBRUARY 2016

Lundgren Tapped for Construction Management Award By SCVBJ Staff

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undgren Management has been nominated to receive the 2016 Project Achievement Award for K-12 education projects in the $11-50 million range by the Southern California Chapter of the Construction Management Association of America. The nomination is for the Valencia firm’s construction management work at David G. Millen Intermediate School, which opened in the Palmdale School District last August. Lundgren managed to complete the project under budget at a cost of $30.7 million; the original projected cost was $32.9 million. Construction started in January 2014 and was wrapped up at the end of August 2015, also bringing the project in under deadline. The original deadline for completion was December 2015, but in light of increased student enrollment in the district, Lundgren was able to help streamline the process and accelerate the timeline so the school was able to open to students in August, on time for

the 2015/16 school year. “The work completed by the Lundgren team on the Millen school is a case study in the excellence we strive to bring to every project with which we’re involved,” Shawn Fonder, Lundgren’s vice president of program and client services, said in a statement. “It’s an honor to work with clients such as the Palmdale School District and have the CMAA recognize the work of each of the project stakeholders.” As construction manager for the project, Lundgren oversaw 24 prime contractors. In addition to a clear communication process throughout construction, Fonder said the project benefited from a thorough pre-construction effort between Lundgren, the school district and the design team, resulting in a streamlined bidding and construction process. Covering 96,000 square-feet on 16 acres, the 40-classroom school was designed with its facilities surrounding a central courtyard and multi-purpose space. The school includes standard, science, music and home economics classrooms,

art lab computer labs, special education classrooms with flexibility for large group and individual instruction, a library and media center, a gymnasium and physical education center, locker rooms, a multipurpose room/cafeteria and administrative offices. As a California STEM school, the site serves students and specializes in science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics. “We consider Lundgren to be the residing expert in the public school construction field,” Al Tsai, maintenance and operations administrator for the Palmdale School District, said in a statement. “We have partnered since 2007 on numerous capital improvement and construction projects, and the Lundgren team works tirelessly to ensure that all aspects of the project will enhance student learning.” Using technology that offers photo, video and webcam services to construction professionals, Lundgren staged numerous cameras to capture ongoing images at the project site, providing the client with regular updates of construction progress.

The photos were then added to the project’s architectural plans to create an even further detailed plan with information for future maintenance or reference needs. “Incorporating technology such as this allows us to not only streamline projects not only through the construction process, but also throughout the useful life of the facilities we construct,” Lundgren’s Fonder said. “This will also provide the Districts with well-detailed records for future reference, which our clients always appreciate.” The 2016 Project Achievement Award could mark Lundgren’s fourth award from the CMAA since the company was founded in 1987. Last year, the company received the award for Building/Renovation in the $11-50 million range for modernization work at Santa Barbara City College, in addition to being named Silver Member Firm of the Year. Awards will be presented at the CMAA chapter’s 24th annual gala April 21 in Los Angeles. ■

Valencia apartment complex sells By Jana Adkins SCVBJ Editor

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luxury 208-unit apartment building in Valencia has been sold by Institutional Property Advisors, a division of Marcus & Millichap Inc. Located at 28100 Smyth Drive, the Hills at Valencia transferred to new ownership in mid-January. Terms of the sale were not released. The buyer is an institutional investor. Institutional Property Advisors Directors Greg Harris, Kevin Green and IPA director Joseph Grabiec represented the seller, IMT Capital LLC. “The new owner is in an excellent position to capitalize on the property’s status as one

of the premier luxury rental housing options in a submarket that boasts strong population growth, low vacancy, low unemployment, and strong projected income growth,” said IPA Director Kevin Green in a statement. Rents at the residential complex range between $1,530 up to $2,600 per month for 1-to-3 bedroom units. Units run from 737to more than 1,400 square feet. The property consists of 19 buildings totaling 212,905 net rentable square feet. Amenities include individual garages, a clubroom, swimming pool, fitness center and more. Built in 2003 on 12.7 acres, the complex is located close to Santa Clarita’s biomedical park and other key industry employers. ■

■ Valencia luxury apartment complex on Smyth Drive sold. Courtesy photo.

■ David G. Millen Intermediate School in Palmdale. Lundgren courtesy photo.

■ Lundgren Management courtesy photo.

FEBRUARY 2016

SUNKIST

Continued from page 1 home in Valencia. SCVBJ: Sunkist is owned by and operated for the California and Arizona citrus growers. Are growers from these two states the only growers involved in the cooperative? Hanlin: The Sunkist cooperative is made up of California and Arizona grower-members. However, we do maintain valuable business partnerships with growers in Texas, Florida and international premier-quality citrus growing regions to best accommodate our customers’ year-round needs across the globe and provide the best returns for our grower members as a result. SCVBJ: Why was the cooperative first formed? What advantage did it bring to growers?

SANTA CLARITA VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL

of family and collaboration with growers and customers to drive beneficial results for all. Sunkist offers a full range of cartons, bags, display masters, bins and reusable plastic containers (RPCs) which have been designed with customers’ needs in mind. The company provides customer-specific creative marketing and promotional support to retail and foodservice trade that are designed to build consumer excitement, demand and sales. SCVBJ: Today, can you describe the size of the not-for-profit company? Hanlin: Today, Sunkist remains the largest citrus cooperative in the world, marketing millions of cartons of premium fresh citrus internationally. Last year, we announced the cooperative’s fifth consecutive billion-dollar revenue year, with 2014 grower payments increasing to $1.1 billion, up from $873 million in 2013. ■

■ Sunkist courtesy photo.

Hanlin: In the late 19th century, California citrus growers started organizing themselves into groups to increase profitability. An economic downturn intensified the situation and desire for collaboration. As a result, Sunkist was founded as the Southern California Fruit Exchange in 1893. As the organization grew, it changed its name to the California Fruit Growers Exchange in 1905 to be inclusive of the entire state. To market the state’s fruit, in 1908 the brand “Sunkist” was created to note the highest quality citrus available from sunny California. Given the affinity for the brand, in 1952 the organization changed its name to Sunkist Growers – the name that endures today. SCVBJ: The name Sunkist was trademarked in 1908 to signify the “highest quality produce.” How do you select growers for, or bring growers into, Sunkist today? Are there standards they have to meet? Hanlin: To earn the Sunkist label, our growers’ fruit has to meet our quality standards. Sunkist inspects fruit shipments for quality and grade consistency, and third party audits are conducted with retailers and consumers to make sure that Sunkist citrus delivers our commitment to quality, from the grove to the consumer. SCVBJ: Why were the packing houses formed? To support the growers, or to ensure uniform packing and help with distribution? Hanlin: Packing houses store, clean and package our growers’ fruit for shipment worldwide. Packing houses in the Sunkist system are part of the cooperative; we do not own our packing houses. SCVBJ: How does the cooperative meet the challenge presented by fruit imported into the country? Hanlin: It is true that there is increasing competition from imported fruit; however, the majority of imported fruit is counter-seasonal to our growing season here. That means that U.S. and global programs in many ways complement one another by increasing year-round consumer demand for fresh citrus.

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SCVBJ: Does Sunkist export its fruit? Hanlin: Export markets, particularly in Asia, are a very important part of Sunkist’s business. On average, we export about 35 percent of our crop each year. Our primary export markets include China, Hong Kong, South Korea, Japan, Singapore and Malaysia, and we are also focused on growth in emerging markets such as India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. SCVBJ: How does Sunkist support sales growth? Hanlin: Founded under the principle that more can be accomplished by working together, Sunkist continues to promote a culture

valenciaacura.com | (661) 255-3000

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FEBRUARY 2016

MannKind Believes Its Troubles Are Also Its Opportunity to Revive Their ‘Baby’ By Jana Adkins By SCVBJ Editor

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hile reports swirl of a possible sale of MannKind in Santa Clarita, the biomedical device maker’s newest CEO Matthew Pfeffer said he can’t comment. Reuters had reported that MannKind was working with investment bankers on options. And while MannKind just announced in late January that it had entered into a new agreement with a Seattle-based group of investors, the agreement is a licensing deal, Pfeffer said. The group, who recently re-incorporated under the name Receptor Life Sciences Inc., approached MannKind to license their technology for use to deliver a pharmaceutical ingredient they have proprietary access to. “We typically don’t see ourselves as a licensing company, but are approached periodically by people seeking our technology,” Pfeffer said. “There are many pharmaceuticals that can be delivered via an inhaled powder.”

Pfeffer spoke on the heels of several major upheavals in the company’s path toward widespread marketing and sale of its inhalable insulin drug Afrezza. After 10 years of research and development, multiple Food and Drug Administration clinical trials, and finally FDA approval in mid-2014, a deal with Parisbased Sanofi to market and distribute Afrezza in 2015 sizzled quickly as sales failed to ramp up. Sanofi terminated the agreement. The deal’s unraveling also led to the biomedical firm’s CEO Hakan Edstrom stepping down in late November 2015. His replacement, Duane M. DeSisto, lasted only a month when his former employer raised objections to his appointment saying it had a non-compete clause with him which does not expire until Sept. 17, 2016. Longtime CFO, Matthew Pfeffer, was tapped to replace him as CEO in January. “It was clear that Sanofi’s efforts weren’t yielding the successes we thought ought to be possible. It was only a matter of time that one of us

Lighting Design Firm Hires Operations Manager

■ Corey Albert

By SCVBJ Staff

C

orey Albert has been hired as Operations Manager for the lighting design firm, Visual Terrain Inc. in Santa Clarita. Albert most recently worked at RIVA Creative USA, a theme park design firm, managing its Pasadena office. “We’re excited to be bringing Corey in to help us implement a more defined set of procedures and operations,” Visual Terrain CEO and principal designer in charge, Lisa Passamonte Green, said in a statement. “We’re looking forward to Corey’s input on streamlining our processes and seeing what we do through fresh eyes.” Founded in 1995, Visual Terrain has

been designing lighting for architecture, attractions and the arts for over 20 years. Based in Santa Clarita, the firm works on amusement and attraction lighting projects throughout the U.S. and in places around the world, such as Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. But, so many of the projects are for firms that prevent the company from disclosing their names. President David Green jokingly told the SCVBJ in February 2015 that the company is like the “Navy Seals of lighting; very secretive and very effective.” In fact, the company’s founder, Lisa Passamonte Green, worked with another partner, Dawn Hollingsworth’s Moody Ravitz, where the two women helped architects design the iconic lit pylons at the LAX Gateway. Albert brings an interesting background to the company which specializes in customized lighting designs. He was once an aviation survival man and rescue swimmer with the United States Coast Guard, and before that, he worked in the construction industry as a carpenter. He also brings more than two decades of experience in the hospitality industry, where he was most recently owner/manager and executive chef for the Yummy Wine Bar & Bistro in Seaside, Oregon, the company said. “This opportunity is a great fit,” Albert said in a statement released upon his hiring. “I feel fortunate to be surrounded by these talents and working towards a growing future with Visual Terrain.” ■

■ MannKind Corp’s CEO Matthew Pfeffer displays the Afezza inhaler in the company’s Valencia office in 2014 before winning FDA approval. Photo by Jonathan Pobre.

pulled the plug,” Pfeffer said. “But our hands were tied (by the deal) and it’s something of a relief to have that deal behind us and be able to move forward.” While it’s a difficult time for the company in the short term, Pfeffer said the entire company sees it as an opportunity and not a problem. Once it has control of the product back in their hands and are no longer restrained from marketing the product or modifying the pricing, MannKind can take “control of our own destiny,” Pfeffer said. As for existing Afrezza users, a transition team started meeting in the last week of January to work out the details as to how to transfer the product and ensure the product remains available to everybody. In the termination agreement, both companies have up to six months to transition the product back into MannKind’s hands. Part of the work to be done is to gain broader acceptance in the healthcare provider and insurance communities, to give diabetes sufferers easier access to the treatment which acts rapidly and eliminates the needs for daily injections. “We have a lot of plans to do things differently, but we can’t implement any until we get the device back,” Pfeffer said. “Clearly we believe a lot of mistakes were made, but we learned a lot in this process. 2015 was painful, but very educational for us.” “It was very hard to watch our baby go out in somebody else’s hands and not be the success we thought it would be,” he said. As if the company’s not experienced enough heartache over the slow start of its baby, two different law firms have launched class action claims on behalf of shareholders. The company has insurance against

stockholder lawsuits, however, and isn’t overly concerned. “It’s pretty typical when you have a large client and stock prices aren’t as expected to be automatically sued. You’ll see law firms advertise for plaintiffs,” Pfeffer said. “It’s also typical to file a claim with spurious allegations which they later amend later - if they find they have grounds.” The jolts to the company have only reinvigorated the company, however. Pfeffer said that while the firm is not without challenges, there’s a very different mood where people are optimistic again and re-energized – it can be felt in

It wa was very hard to watch our baby go out in somebody else’s hands and not be the success we thought it would be.” – Matthew Pfeffer, CEO, MannKind Corp. the atmosphere, he said. For the first time in months, shares of the firm’s stocks began to climb at the end of January after months of declines, and having fallen below $1 on the U.S.-based Nasdaq exchange. Shares had once reached as high as $10.08 in August 2014. And the company still has shares listed with the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange, which it listed with in late October 2015. Those shot up as well trading over 450 shekels per share, roughly the equivalent of $112.50 U.S. dollars per share in late January. ■

FEBRUARY 2016

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19

Pay Parity Law Takes Effect in California By Jana Adkins SCVBJ Editor

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ith regards to the boost in minimum wages to $10 per hour as of Jan. 1, probably the only

real technical issue for California employers’ payroll was calculating correctly using the new wage amount. But the biggest wage headache might come as firms ensure that their male and female workers are paid equally for “substantially similar” work, according to a new law that took effect in the state this year. It’s also the nation’s toughest law with regards to fair pay. “The law isn’t that different than it has been at any other time; pay should have always been comparable,” said Sandi Malmquist, chair of district 12 of the Professionals In Human Resources Association in Santa Clarita. “Now it’s just official.” Although, Gov. Jerry Brown didn’t come out with a lot of guidelines to help define “substantially similar” work, Malmquist said employers should review their compensation practices by taking a look at their job descriptions to see if a job is identical or very similar. “They don’t want a wage discrimination

■ iStock photo.

claim against them based on male and fe-

paying a female employee 40 percent of

male pay in the workplace,” she said.

what the industry typically pays in that job,

A firm can take a look at factors such as seniority and how much people produce,

it’s a good indication there may be a problem, he said.

said attorney Carl Kanowsky, but an em-

Being proactive and getting ahead of a

ployer also needs to conduct a line-by-line

problem also has other advantages, besides

comparison of all job titles, job descrip-

avoiding a possible costly claim.

tions and males vs. females to see if they can spot any pay disparities.

“One client has a female employee who was extremely valuable to their operation.

“In any kind of wage and hour dispute,

They realized that and began to bring her

you want to have solid reasons for why

salary up to others, commensurate with

something is done,” Kanowsky said. “You

their level, and now she’s very appreciate,”

want something a lot more concrete than

Kanowsky said. “When you do it without

‘Joe’s been with us a year longer and he’s

someone complaining, then you look like

a nice guy.’”

an enlightened employer.”

There are a lot of resources out there for

Also, in the past, companies frequently

companies to use for help in reviewing jobs

asked their employees not to discuss their

that are similar and comparing what they

salaries with co-workers, but that is old-

pay, regardless of sex, he said.

school, he said. Under the new law, em-

To be proactive and protect a firm from

ployees can discuss their wages or benefits

a wage discrimination claim, Malmquist

with other employees and employers are

advises firms to fully investigate their cur-

not allowed to discipline them for doing

rent staff’s salaries.

so, he said.

“Talk to the managers and look at jobs

If an employee does raise a wage equality

to see what the comparisons are,” she said.

concern, the best thing to do is look at it

“Review the compensation and make rec-

and see if the concern is legitimate. If it is,

ommendations to the mangers to make

address it quickly.

sure compensation is fair and equitable.”

“Your first priority is to be honest.

Kanowsky also advises companies to do

Don’t tell half-truths or outright lies,” he

market comparisons to make sure their sal-

said. “You’ll get found out and that can re-

aries are competitive within their industry.

ally hurt you with employees or later on in

If a company finds their salaries are fairly

front of the labor commissioner or in front

comparable, that’s good, but if a firm is

of a jury.” ■

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SANTA CLARITA VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL

FEBRUARY 2016

Berkshire Hathaway deal closing By SCVBJ Staff

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arren Buffet’s Berkshire Hathaway’s purchase of Precision Castparts Corp. was expected to close at the end of last month on Jan. 29. The acquisition in August 2015 included two Santa Clarita-based firms. The appropriate waiting periods had expired or been terminated and the appropriate clearances or approvals had been granted for the deal to close both companies announced in late January. Berkshire Hathaway acquired Portlandbased Precision Castparts Corp. for about $32 billion in cash, marking the conglomerate’s largest takeover ever. AVK Industrial Products and Aerospace Dynamics International (ADI) operated under the Precision Castparts portfolio of companies. Precision purchased ADI in March 2014. AVK manufactures threaded fasteners for the automotive and aerospace industries working with some of the largest automotive manufacturers such as Ford. Aerospace Dynamics manufactures and supplies machined parts and assemblies to the commercial and military aerospace industries. In 2012 it broke ground on a new 88,000-square-foot manufacturing building on Rye Canyon Road to house a production facility for Airbus, an aircraft manufacturing company based in France. Precision Castparts supplies fasteners, turbine blades and other parts to aircraft makers, and it makes equipment for power stations and the oil and gas industry – one that has been hit hard by falling crude and natural

Wesco Aircraft renews agreement with Gulfstream Aerospace By SCVBJ Staff

W

■ Randy Bowers works on thrust reverser mechanisms for Boeing aircraft at Aerospace Dynamics International in Valencia in 2011. Photo by Jonathan Pobre.

gas prices. Some analysts criticized the deal as a result, but Buffet responded that he was in it for the long haul and wasn’t concerned about the cyclical nature of oil prices. Berkshire already owned 4.2 million shares or about 3 percent of Precision Castparts’ stock when it announced the purchase

last summer. When the deal was made to acquire Precision, it was announced that Berkshire Hathaway would pay for $235 per share in cash to acquire the company. As of late January, shares of Precision’s stock continued to trade in the high $234 range, very close to the cash offer. ■

esco Aircraft of Valencia renewed its’ agreement with Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. on Monday. As a provider of comprehensive supply chain management services to the global aerospace industry, Wesco’s deal with Gulfstream is for a new multiyear agreement. “Our agreement with Gulfstream builds upon a longstanding relationship with one of our most valued customers,” Dave Castagnola, Wesco’s president and CEO said in a statement. “It positions us well on growth platforms and to expand our service offerings in the future.” The agreement renews Wesco’s existing contract to provide integrated supply chain services delivering C-class aerospace hardware and electronic components – high volume, low cost parts and materials - to Gulfstream in North America. Gulfstream, a General Dynamics aerospace company, designs, develops, manufactures, markets, services and supports the world’s most technologically advanced business-jet aircraft. Wesco’s services range from traditional distribution to the management of supplier relationships, quality assurance, kitting, justin-time delivery and point-of-use inventory management. Offering aerospace products, Wesco’s lineup is comprised of more than 575,000 SKU’s including chemical, electrical and aerospace products. ■

THE 4TH ANNUAL

SCV

Community

Pride T

hemed sections in The Signal newspaper and signalscv.com will feature why it’s great to live and work in the SCV! Share your business or organization’s success story with our readers in this annual special publication. Sponsor your targeted special section! One premium position Front Page photo and Double Truck i available. An excellent way to showcase your business!

Publishes: saturday, March 26, 2016

Reach more than

90,000 in print and online readership!

Santa Clarita Valley

Call to advertise TODAY!

661.259.1234

n will also be e Santa Clarita st viewed website.

FEBRUARY 2016

SANTA CLARITA VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL

THE LIST

Movie Ranches & Sound Stages In Santa Clarita Name

Address

Phone

Website

Avenue Scott Stages

27420 Ave. Scott Santa Clarita, CA 91355

(661) 702-9610

www.scvlocations.com

Blue Cloud Movie Ranch

20000 Blue Cloud Rd. Saugus, CA 91350

(661) 510-6873

28100 Haskell Canyon Rd Saugus, CA 91322

Diamond V Ranch/50'S Town Fantastic Lane Studios Golden Oak Ranch

Melody Ranch Motion Picture Studio

Polsa Rosa Ranch Rancho Deluxe Sable Ranch/Rancho Maria Sanna Ranch Santa Clarita Studios SOS Filmworks/Agua Dulce Movie Ranch, Inc. Valencia Studios Veluzat Motion Picture Ranch

(Listed in alphabetical order)

Contact

Acres/ # of Stages

Karen Bryden Santa Clarita Valley Locations

2 stages for a total of 78,000 sq ft

www.veluzat.com

Frank Gardner

Moive Ranch Overlay Zone Property; 100 acres

(661) 212-8047

www.veluzat.com

Marcel Veluzat

Movie Ranch Overlay Zone Property 50 acres

27567 Fantastic Ln. Castiac, CA 91384

(661) 221-5025

www.fantasticlane.com/

19802 Placerita Canyon Rd. Newhall, CA 91321

(661) 259-8717

www.goldenoakranch.com

24715 Oak Creek Ave. Santa Clarita, CA 91321 5726 Soledad Canyon Rd. Acton, CA 93510 16030 Placerita Canyon Rd. Santa Clarita, CA 91387 25933 Sand Canyon Rd. Santa Clarita, CA 91387 10002 Soledad Canyon Rd. Agua Dulce, CA 91390 25135 Anza Dr. Santa Clarita, CA 91355 34855 Petersen Rd. Agua Dulce, CA 91390 26030 Avenue Hall Santa Clarita, CA 91355 21800 Haskell Canyon Rd. Saugus, CA 91350

(661) 259-9669

www.melodyranchstudio.com

(661) 575-5602

21

6 stages for a total of 45,620 sq ft Steve Sligh

890 acres. 12 proposed stages for a total of 240,000 sq ft

Candy Veluzat

Placerita Cyn. Special Standards District Overlay Zone Property Filming allowed by right, no City permit required, 3 stages for a total 41,200 sq ft; 21 acre ranch

John Schofield

730 acres

(661) 733-5739

www.aranchodeluxe.com

Steve Arklin

Movie Ranch Overlay Zone Property; 200 acres

(661) 252-9751

www.movielocationrental. com

Derek Hunt

Movie Ranch Overlay Zone Properties; 400 acres

(661) 268-1719

www.sannaranch.com

John Sanna

64 acres

(661) 294-2000

www.santaclaritastudios.com

Mike Delorenzo

16 stages with more than 247,000 sq ft

(661) 251-2365

www.sosfilmworks.com

William Fix

348 acres

(661) 702-9102

www.valenciastudios.com

Suzie Burr

6 stages for a total of 73,500 sq ft

(661) 810-9898

www.veluzatmotionpictureranch.com

Daniel Veluzat

Movie Ranch Overlay Zone Property; 750 acres SOURCE: Santa Clarita Film Office

VALLEY INDUSTRY & COMMERCE ASSOCIATION VICA

Stuart Waldman

SCVBJ By Stuart Waldman, president Valley Industry and Commerce Association

T

he Valley Industry and Commerce Association (VICA) released its 2016 Legislative Priorities, the top-10 local and state policy issues that will shape VICA’s advocacy efforts this year. The removal of frustrating obstacles for land-use development projects, ensuring fair and sensible regulations for employers and the best use of California’s natural resources lead VICA’s priorities in the 2016 legislative agenda. VICA’s Legislative Priorities were created by the VICA membership through the identification of core issues within VICA’s policy committees. These priorities are then reviewed by VICA’s Board of Directors and Executive Committee, as well as voted on by the general membership. “VICA has long worked to ensure the strength of Southern California’s economy,” said VICA President Stuart Waldman. “Working on these 10 legislative priorities will contribute toward our efforts to further improve our local economy and quality of life.”

Land-use reform, employer rights and natural resources lead VICA’s 2016 Legislative Priorities In 2016: 1. VICA will push for time limits on neighborhood councils’ review of land-use development projects. 2. VICA will continue to oppose increasing sick leave beyond the state mandates and will fight against increases to the state mandates. 3. VICA will work to decrease our region’s reliance on imported water by advocating for local water reclamation improvement efforts, flood control management and water recycling projects that do not unevenly burden or impact the business community. 4. VICA will push to lower the salary threshold for manufacturers to qualify for hiring tax credits. 5. VICA will advocate for incentives and reduced bureaucratic hurdles for all housing developments in order to address the housing crisis across the state, including the 500,000 unit shortage in Los Angeles County. 6. VICA will support incentives for heavyduty natural gas vehicles to help California maintain our goods movement system while contributing to the achievement of state clean air and greenhouse gas emission reduction goals. 7. VICA will call for the creation of infrastructure financing districts within the Los Angeles region to foster public and private investment in community redevelopment.

■ Courtesy photo

8. VICA will examine options to modernize and better fund the federal Pell Grant program to better serve all post-secondary education institutions. 9. VICA will support the development of a replacement terminal at Burbank Bob Hope Airport to improve passenger safety and convenience and increase economic development around the Valley’s commercial airport. 10. VICA will work to reform the twomidnight hospital readmission policy that places the burden of responsibility on healthcare providers for patient post-discharge

actions and circumstances. The mission of the Valley Industry & Commerce Association (VICA) is to enhance the economic vitality of the greater San Fernando Valley region by advocating for a better business climate and quality of life. Visit www.vica.com for more information. ■ The mission of the Valley Industry & Commerce Association (VICA) is to enhance the economic vitality of the greater San Fernando Valley region by advocating for a better business climate and quality of life. Visit www.vica.com for more information.

22

SANTA CLARITA VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL

FEBRUARY 2016

Valley Industry Association 25030 Avenue Tibbitts | Suite K | Valencia, CA 91355 | (661) 294-8088 | www.via.org | Content provided by VIA

VIA’s Outgoing Chairwoman Anna FrutosSanchez Reflects on a Successful Year VIA Luncheon Planning Calendar 2016 SPEAKER SERIES

Luncheon begins at 11:45 a.m. at the Hyatt Regency Valencia, 24500 Town Center Dr. in Valencia. CHANGE OF LOCATION – FEBRUARY ONLY Business professionals interested in attending should plan to reserve their seat well in advance. Reservations and payment can be made at www.VIA.org/Calendar or by contacting the VIA office at (661) 294-8088.

Tuesday, February 16 Brian Koegle and David Poole, Poole & Shaffery, LLP, provide the 2016 update on Employment Law. (See accompanying article for more information.)

Welcome to New VIA Members! VIA is growing and we’re proud to add these new members to our organization. Welcome aboard everyone!

Marston’s Restaurant

Jim McCardy 24011 Newhall Ranch Road Santa Clarita, CA 91355 www.MarstonsRestaurant.com wdh@lhmp.com (Bill Horsfall) (661) 253-9910

SC Publishing

Jeanna Crawford 25031 Ave. Stanford, #90 Valencia, CA 91355 jcrawford@sc-publishing.com (661) 298-4586

Point of View Communications

Teresa Todd, MBA, MA 24405 Chestnut Street, Suite 203 Santa Clarita, CA 91321 www.povpr.com ttodd@povpr.com (661) 257-4440

V

IA keeps businesses in our community – everything from new startups to relocations to existing businesses that continue to call the Santa Clarita Valley home. My year as chairwoman of this stellar organization has been both strenuous and rewarding, and I wouldn’t have had it any other way. The year began with a successful strategic planning session. As a board, we mapped out an ambitious agenda with direction, programs and initiatives to pursue during 2015. The VIA Leadership Program and the VIA Sales Academy were two initiatives that really caught fire in 2015. The Sales Academy proved to be an important program for business professionals interested in learning negotiation skills, indirect sales techniques, time management for sales people, behavioral styles and successful selling, presentation skills, communications, overcoming objections, and getting past the gatekeeper. Setting new records, the VIA Education Foundation completed three Connectingto-Success sessions in 2015 serving 2,400 junior class students from all seven high schools within the William S. Hart Union High School District. VIA’s commitment charters new territory in the coming year as

■ Outgoing VIA Chairwoman Anna Frutos-Sanchez received accolades and proclamations from elected officials, including (left to right) City of Santa Clarita’s Mayor Pro Tem Dante Acosta, Councilmember Marsha McLean, and Mayor Bob Kellar.

we pilot a program that will be conducted with a local junior high school to begin reaching students at an earlier age. And as VIA moves forward into its promising future, my parting words would be to embrace change. Continue to welcome the younger, tech-savvy professionals who bring new perspective, innovative ideas and opportunities into the organization. Thank

Message from VIA’s Incoming Chairman Ed Masterson

I

am very excited and honored to serve as Chairman of the Board for the Valley Industry Association, which celebrates its 35th anniversary in 2016. I appreciate the role VIA plays in the ongoing development of our business community, and I look forward to nurturing and strengthening our current relationships, as well forging new relationships with strategic business partners. In addition to representing business interests in the Santa Clarita Valley, VIA also provides members one-on-one introductions and business connections to a blend of industrial, commercial and service companies, and the opportunity to collaborate on a wide range of business issues. VIA speaks with a strong and unified voice on behalf of its members regarding issues of importance that require advocacy and legislative awareness. VIA serves as a one-stop shop for relevant business information, supports local educational initiatives, and provides networking opportunities for

its members to connect business-tobusiness. Signature educational events keep VIA at the forefront for helping shape the future local workforce. Other signature programs include the Leadership and Sales Academies, and the dedicated work being done by VIA’s Advocacy Committee and Education Foundation. It is my great hope that every local business considers joining VIA in 2016. Together we are strong. Ed Masterson is sales and marketing manager with SOS Entertainment, and serves as VIA’s 2016 Chairman of the Board. He was the recipient of the 2014 SCV Chamber of Commerce, “SCV Community Volunteer” award, and SOS named “VIA Business of the Year” in 2014. ■

you to my fellow board members, the VIA membership and dedicated staff for a memorable and prosperous year. ■ Anna Frutos-Sanchez is a public affairs region manager with Southern California Edison responsible for the cities of Santa Clarita, San Fernando, Simi Valley, Moorpark, and Fillmore, and served as VIA’s 2015 Chairwoman of the Board.

Employment Law Update In 2015, Gov. Jerry Brown signed over 800 bills into law; many affect California businesses large and small. VIA welcomes David Poole and Brian Koegle with the law firm of Poole and Shaffery, LLP to present the annual Employment Law Update on Tuesday, February 16 at 11:45 a.m. at the Hyatt Regency Valencia located at 24500 Town Center Dr. in Valencia. • A variety of legal topics affecting California businesses will be presented, including (partial listing): • Wage and hour law updates, including overtime, meal and rest periods • Paid sick leave laws • Modification to the equal pay statutes • Accommodation of disabilities and religious beliefs • Forecast of 2016 court rulings and legislation • Employee handbook updates Open to all area businesses; you do not have to be a VIA member to attend. This is typically a sell-out event and early reservations are advised. Register by calling the VIA office at 661.294.8088 or online at www.VIA.org/Calendar. ■

Planning for the Future

General Pavement Management, Inc.

Kathy Stripsky 805 Lawrence Drive, Suite 100 Thousand Oaks, CA 91320 (805) 523-5566

Servpro of Santa Clarita Valley Gary Werner 29059 The Old Road Santa Clarita, CA 91355

The Valley Industry Association’s Board of Directors gathered in December for a strategic planning meeting. Participants included (seated, left to right) Hillary Broadwater, Laura Kirchhoff, Jill Mellady, Chris Schrage, Henry Rodriguez, Michael Little, Carl Kanowsky, Denise Covert, J.C. Burnett, Terry Mayfield, Greg Wells, and Naomi Tamrat. (Standing, left to right) Gloria Mercado-Fortine, Anna Frutos-Sanchez (outgoing chairwoman), Ed Masterson (incoming chairman), Bryon Alvarado, Dr. Jerry Buckley, and Kathy Norris, CEO/President.

FEBRUARY 2016

SANTA CLARITA VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION SANTA CLARITA VALLEY

Content provided by

26455 Rockwell Canyon Road | UCEN 263 | Santa Clarita, CA 91355 | (661) 288-4400 | www.scvedc.org

How to Take Advantage of R&D Tax Credit

F

or companies large and small, Research and Development (R&D) plays a critical role in the innovation process, which in turn delivers competitive advantage and higher profit margin in the market place. To put in simply, it’s essentially an investment in technology and future capabilities which is transformed into new products, processes, and services. After many years of spending cash on dividend boosts and share buybacks, U.S. companies are finally realizing they need to start seeding real innovation. According to an article in Bloomberg Business, companies have been pouring money into Research and Development at the fastest pace in 50 years. In 2015, the US R&D spending accounted for 1.8% of its GDP, compared to 1.7% in 2014 and 1.6% from 2007 to 2014. To some economists, this marks a turning point from a focus on short-term profit to devising innovative products and processes that deliver longterm staying power. Santa Clarita Valley-based inventors understand all too well that research and development (R&D) remains constant (and costly) throughout the technology innovation process. Occupations focused on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) tend to pay higher wages because of the degree of technical difficulty associated with work. Federal and state governments have acknowledged the need to actively foster innovation by establishing tax credits. These credits encourage growth in STEM occupations and can improve the bottom line of SCV companies. For example, the activity of designing, developing, and testing products and processes often qualifies for sizable federal and state R&D tax credits that can help companies recoup some of their investment. To start, firms should catalog their R&D work processes, in addition to the employees and infrastructure required to carry out these tasks. Once cataloged, the SCVEDC can help firms identify the next steps in the credit claim process. Eligible firms are encouraged to precisely identify and track patents and

inventions, as well as new or improved products, processes, techniques, formulas or computer software (collectively referred to as “business components”) considered to be eligible. Below is a brief bulleted questionnaire that may help SCV firms understand if they qualify for R&D tax credits. • Are you developing a new or improved business component for a permitted purpose? • Are you uncertain of the methodology, capability and design that need to be completed when you take on a job? • Is the process of experimentation or systematic evaluation required for the work? • Is the work technological in nature and is the process of experimentation based on the principles of one or more hard sciences (e.g., physics, chemistry, biology, engineering, or computer science)? If a firm receives R&D tax credits, the size of the credit will be based on qualified research expenses, including wages of all individual employees that meet the tax code’s eligibility criteria. While the tax code and regulations provide for only general documentation requirements, from a practical perspective, maintaining strict documentation practices for R&D Tax Credit claims often result in higher quality and more cost effective benefits. In some cases, it’s advisable to consult special service providers who can assist companies in establishing best practices for documentation, including the integration of specialized software when necessary. Additionally, there are a number of exclusions that firms need to also consider when applying for R&D tax credits. For example, aesthetic or product changes made for seasonal factors or a product adaptation for customer preferences may are not always considered eligible – all the more reason why outside expertise, even that beyond a general accounting practitioner, is needed for R&D Tax Credit claims.

iStock image

It’s important for SCV firms to take advantage of federal, state and local tax credits when eligible. The SCVEDC team is ready to assist firms who are interested

SAVE THE DATE

March 10, 2016 1:30 – 5:00 pm, followed by cocktail reception Sponsorship Opportunities Now Available www.scvedc.org/outlook

Econo Watch Santa Clarita Valley

in learning more about the tax credits and economic development incentives available. We look forward to hearing from you soon! ■

Source: Santa Clarita Valley Economic Development Corporation

Q3 ’15

Q2 ’15

Q3 ’15 Sq Ft

Commercial Vacancy Rates

Local Company Stock Prices

Nov ‘15

Oct ’15

% Change

Bank of Santa Clarita (BSCA)

10

9.8

2.04%

Mannkind (MNKD)

2

3.31

-39.58%

Office Space

12.20%

12.20%

592,170

Carnival Corp. (CCL)

50.53

54.08

-6.56%

Industrial Space

2.50%

4.60%

493,423

Mission Valley Bank (MVLY)

7.25

6.65

9.02%

Retail Space

4.90%

5.80%

604,835

Six Flags * (SIX)

51.9

52.05

-0.29%

Woodward (WWD)

50.43

45.50

10.84%

Lennar (LEN)

51.21

50.07

2.28%

Oct ‘15 5.2% 7.7% 6.4% 5.5% 5.7% 5.7%

Sep ’15 5.4% 8.0% 6.6% 5.7% 5.9% 5.8%

% Change -3.70% -3.75% -3.03% -3.51% -3.39% -1.72%

Total Marked Sq. Ft. Vacancy Percentage Office Space - as a % of Vacancy

35.03%

19.00%

N/A

Industrial Space - as a % of Vacancy

29.19%

50.90%

N/A

Retail Space - as a % of Vacancy

35.78%

30.11%

N/A

Nov ‘15

Oct ‘15

Nov ’14

Commercial/Industrial Building Permits

0

1

1

Residential Building Permits

8

10

14

Building Permits

Unemployment Rates Santa Clarita Palmdale Lancaster Glendale LA County State

23

24

SANTA CLARITA VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL

FEBRUARY 2016

SCV Chamber of Commerce 27451 Tourney Road | Suite 160 | Santa Clarita, CA 91355 | (661) 702-6977 | www.scvchamber.com | Content provided by the SCV Chamber

February Milestone Members 25+ Years McDonald’s Restaurant (Store 1533) Santa Clarita Valley Family YMCA Castaic Lake Water Agency Golden Empire Mortgage, Inc. Tartan Realty Cobblestone Cottage A-1 Party Balloons Air Frame Manufacturing & Supply Co. Inc

20+ Years Atkins Environmental HELP, Inc. Golden Oak Ranch (Walt Disney Company) Supervisor Mike Antonovich Rex Baumgartner, D.D.S. Viki Black

15 + Years Law Offices of G. Marshall Hann Affordable Quality Moving & Storage

2015 was a great year full of amazing accomplishments!

A

t our planning session we identified 3 areas for growth and implemented a plan to achieve these milestones. With the help of an extremely supportive Board of directors, led by our then Chairman, Sue Nevius, we leaped into action. Our core goals were to grow and strengthen our membership, be the leading business support organization in the Santa Clarita Valley, and strengthen our partnerships with the SCVEDC & VIA. We began the year with a bang by announcing our merger with the SCV Latino Chamber and the creation of the SCV Chamber Latino Business Alliance, a Committee of the Chamber, chaired by Byron Alvarado, Strategy Partners and Patsy Ayala, Our Valleys Magazine. We also revamped our LunchNet program to run bi-weekly, under the leadership of Lee Watters, owner of the Watters Group. In February, we added a Toastmasters group, SCV Chamber Speaks, as an additional benefit of membership. Within six months we won the coveted Smedley Award for membership growth!

In the second quarter of the year, we launched our Emerging Leaders program. This group connects our younger members with fun and engaging events designed especially for them. This group meets 1 – 2 times per month. If you would like more information on this group, contact Laura Eelkema at leelkema@scvchamber.com. The third quarter brought us another merger; The Castaic Chamber of Commerce - adding an additional 50 new members and uniting the entire Valley under one strong and vibrant Chamber. We are committed to serving the Town of Castaic and keeping the Chamber’s traditions alive. We were the lead organization, in collaboration with the SCVEDC, VIA and BizFed, to actively oppose the then proposed Minimum Wage increase in the unincorporated Los Angeles County. Thank you to Chamber members, See Spot Go, Cory Nathan and Sam Dixon Health, CEO Philip Solomon and CFO Tom Christensen. While we were not successful in persuading the county not to raise the wage, we will continue to

RE/MAX of Valencia Orswell & Kasman, Inc.

10+ Years Santa Clarita Lanes Tristar Home Loans Old Town Newhall Association Buca di Beppo Schramm Financial Group L/B/W Insurance & Financial Services, Inc. Rhona Jukes, American Family Funding WSI Internet Consulting & Education Office Depot-Business Services Division Castaic Union School District Goodwill Southern California

5+ Years VT Ranch Limoneira Company Penny Lane Families Miss SCV Scholarship Program Troll Systems Corporation We Gotta Travel NAI Capital Courier-Messenger Inc. Maria’s Italian Deli Market Pizzeria Pacifica Senior Living of Santa Clarita Chili’s Grill & Bar Crown Trophy of Santa Clarita

Ribbon Cuttings

work closely with BizFed and the County to create a plan that makes sense. At the encouragement of our retail members, we established a Retail Committee to address the concerns and issues of our member retailers. Retailers interested in becoming involved with this very active group, are welcome to attend the committee meetings on the 4th Tuesday of each month at 10:30 a.m. at the Chamber office. As we rounded out a very busy 2015, we entered into a strategic partnership with the City of Santa Clarita to bring the Community a new Shop Local program, SCV Cash Mob! We also launched our FREE and low cost Business Development Series, a series of 90 minute (FREE) to half day ($25) seminars to bring you relevant business information. More information about both these programs can be found on the Chamber website. We are looking forward to a fun and prosperous 2016 and building on these new and our existing Chamber programs. ■

FEBRUARY 2016

SANTA CLARITA VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL

25

Commercial, Industrial & Retail Real Estate (Cont. on pg. 26) Retail Buildings 23329 Lyons Avenue Old Orchard Plaza

Sq.Ft. Sale/Lease 900, 3,600, 7,600 Lease

23154 Valencia Boulevard Valencia Mart

25830-25848 McBean Parkway Granary Square

10,300 1,999 - 2,800

21515 Soledad Canyon Road

1,200

Golden Oak Plaza

26477-26557 Golden Valley Road

1,022

Centre Pointe Marketplace

18597 – 18607 Soledad Canyon Road

2,250

Canyon Square

Lease

Price $1.65 SF/MO/NNN $1.25 SF/MO/NNN

Lease

$2.50-$3.00 SF/MO/NNN

Lease

$1.25 SF/MO/NNN

Lease

$2.50 SF/MO/NNN

Lease

$2.00 SF/MO/NNN

Office/Commercial Buildings (cont.) Sq. Ft. 28001 Smyth Drive 700 & 900 28494 Westinghouse Pl.

736 - 2,208

Lease

$2.15 SF/MO/MG

1, 758 - 22,919

Lease

$2.20-$2.55 SF/MO/FSG

552 - 4,275

Lease

$2.35 SF/MO/FSG

776 - 6,130

Lease

$2.25 SF/MO/FSG

767

Lease

$2.35 SF/MO/FSG

1,425 - 29,028

Lease

$2.15 SF/MO/FSG

Valencia Atrium

27200 Tourney Rd. Tourney Pointe

25129 The Old Road Sunset Pointe Plaza

23822 Valencia Blvd. Valencia Oaks

23929 Valencia Blvd.

19923 – 19931 Golden Point

1,479 – 2,074

Lease

$2.75 SF/MO/NNN

27737 Bouquet Canyon Road

1,020 – 2,191

Lease

$1.85 SF/MO/NNN

27202, 27220 & 27240 Turnberry

24254 – 24409 Main Street

500 – 6,000

Lease

$1.65 SF/MO/MG

25020 - 25061 Avenue Stanford

Sutter Point Plaza Patti Kutschko (Daum Commercial) 661-670-2003 Old Town Newhall Properties

23120 – 23130 Lyons Avenue

900 – 3,250

Lease

$1.00 - $1.60 SF/MO/NNN

1,000

Lease

$1.25 SF/MO/Gross

26865 – 26889 Sierra Highway

1,350 – 1,907

Lease

$2.35 SF/MO/NNN

25269 The Old Road

1,300 – 2,442

Lease

$1.50 SF/MO/NNN

3,053

Sub-Lease

$3.35 SF/MO/NNN

Wayman Court

23638 Newhall Avenue San Fernando Plaza Riverview Plaza

Sunset Pointe Plaza

24003 Newhall Ranch Road

Bridgeport Village Tim Crissman (Crissman Commercial Services) 661-295-9300

Summit at Valencia Kevin Fenenbock (Colliers Int.) 661-253-5204 • John Erickson (Colliers Int.) 661-253-5202

990 - 4,281

Lease

$1.05-$1.75 SF/MO/FSG

2,810

Lease

$2.50 SF/MO/NNN

Paragon Business Center John Erickson (Colliers Int.) 661-253-5202

24501 Town Center Drive; Suite 103

Craig Peters (CBRE) 818-907-4616 and Sam Glendon (CBRE) 818-502-6745

27413 Tourney Road

1,290 - 3,243

Lease

$2.55 SF/M0/FSG

915- 5,206

Lease

$2.65 - $2.80 SF/M0/FSG

1,187 - 20,000

Lease

$2.75 SF/MO/FSG

Lease

$2.85 SF/MO/FSG

1,300 - 6,000

Lease

$2.25 SF/MO/NNN

982 - 5,032

Lease

$2.35 SF/MO/FSG

Tourney Business Park

26650 The Old Road Westridge Executive Plaza Richard Ramirez (CBRE) 661-907-4639

25152 - 25154 Springfield Court The Commons at Valencia Gateway

28207- 313 Newhall Ranch Rd.

1,275 - 8,090

Lease $1.95 - $12.90 SF/MO/NNN

25350 - 25360 Magic Mountain Parkway 1,500 - 8,000

28112 - 36 Newhall Ranch Rd.

1,195 - 1,825

Lease

$2.75 SF/M0/NNN

24200 Magic Mountain Parkway

27923 – 59 Seco Canyon Rd.

1,500 - 1,600

Lease

$2.50 SF/M0/NNN

54,000

Lease

Negotiable

Gateway Village

Highridge Crossing

Seco Canyon Village

27095 McBean Parkway

The Promenade John Cserkuti (NAI Capital) 661-705-3551

Gateway Plaza VTC IV David Solomon (CBRE) 818-907-4628

27201 Tourney Road Valencia Executive Plaza

4,040

Sub-Lease

$2.25 SF/MO/NNN

23030 Lyons Avenue Neiditch Building

31675-31783 Castaic Road

1,063 - 6,015

Lease

$1.50 SF/MO/NNN

25161 Rye Canyon Road

23754 Valencia Boulevard

4,350

Lease

$2.50 SF/MO/NNN

1,700 – 7,000 997 – 8,565 660 – 2,337

Lease Lease Lease

Negotiable $2.20 -$3.50 SF/MO/NNN $3.00 SF/MO/NNN

Building #1 Building #2 Build-to-Suits also available

19045 Golden Valley Road. #115 The Plaza at Golden Valley The Vine at Castaic

Chris Munyon (NAI Capital) 661-705-3556

27630 The Old Road 24300 – 24305 Town Center Drive 24510 Town Center Drive Cody Chiarella (CBRE) 818-502-6730

27430 Golden Valley

Yair Haimoff (NAI Capital) 818/742-1659

4,040

Lease

25115 Avenue Stanford

$2.75 SF/MO/NNN

23734 Valencia Boulevard

27544 Newhall Ranch Road

2,900

Lease

$1.75 SF/MO/NNN

23838 Valencia Boulevard

24021 Newhall Ranch Road

1,512

Lease

$3.50 SF/MO/NNN

25078 Peachland Avenue

24125 Baywood Lane

1,051

Lease

$3.25 SF/MO/NNN

Lease

$1.95 SF/MO/MG

Sq. Ft.

Sale/Lease

1,500

Sale/Lease $2.00 SF/MO/NNN, $825,000

Price

Kevin Tamura (Daum Commercial) 661-670-2001 • Ron Berndt (Daum Commercial) 661-670-2000 • Patti Kutschko (Daum Commercial) 661-670-2003

25322 Rye Canyon Road 25230 Avenue Stanford 26320 Diamond Place #110 26320 Diamond Place #170 26320 Diamond Place #200 26330 Diamond Place #190

25,200 5,000 2,332 2,332 5,562 3,460

Sale Lease Lease Lease Lease Lease

$6.8M $1.45 SF/MO/MG $1.10 SF/MO/NNN $1.15 SF/MO/NNN $1.55 SF/MO/NNN $1.15 SF/MO/NNN

22620 Market Street

1,685

Lease

$1.75 - $2.00 SF/MO/MG

28455 Livingston Avenue

5,600

Lease

$1.25 SF/M0/MG

Yair Haimoff (NAI Capital) 818-742-1659

Tim Crissman (Crissman Commercial Services) 661-295-9300

$1.75-$1.85 SF/MO/FSG

1,230 – 8,474

Lease

$2.65 SF/MO/FSG

1,523 -1,860

Lease

$1.95 SF/MO/FSG + J

988-2,674

Lease

$2.50 SF/MO/NNN

1,000

Lease

$1.95 SF/MO/MG + E + J

1,205 - 8,944

Lease

$1.45 SF/MO/FSG + J

420 - 4,000

Lease

$1.10 SF/MO/NNN

1,842

Lease

$2.05 SF/MO/MG

540 576

Lease Lease

$2.00 SF/MO/MG $2.15 SF/MO/MG

720

Lease

$2.00 SF/MO/MG

948

Lease

$2.00 SF/MO/MG

Lease Lease Lease

$1.85 SF/MO/FSG $0.99 SF/MO/NNN $2.55 SF/MO/FSG

Valencia Financial Center Atrium Medical Building Peachland Medical Arts

23502- 23504 Lyons Avenue Lyons Plaza

23542- 23560 Lyons Avenue Plaza Posada Cameron Gray (NAI Capital) 661-705-3569

24961The Old Road

Tim Crissman (Crissman Commercial Services) 661-295-3300

Office/Commercial Buildings 20605 Soledad Canyon Road

Lease

Valencia Corporate Plaza Craig Peters (CBRE) 818-907-4616 • Richard Ramirez (CBRE) 818-907-4639 • Robert Valenziano (CBRE) 818-907-4663

Lease

1,005-1,830

709 - 10,600

28470, 28480, 28490 Ave. Stanford

1,000

25065 – 25067 Peachland

Doug Sonderegger, (CBRE) 818-907-4607 • Sam Glendon (CBRE) 818-502-6745

$1.35 SF/M0/NNN $1.35 SF/M0/NNN

$2.25 SF/MO/NNN

27560 Newhall Ranch Road

Baywood at Bridgeport Kevin Fenenbock (Colliers Int.) 661/253-5204

Lease Lease

Valencia Park Executive Center

$2.85 SF/MO/NNN

Bridgeport Marketplace John Cserkuti (NAI Capital) 661-705-3556

14,292 1,814

Craig Peters (CRRE) 818-907-4616 • Doug Sonderegger (CBRE) 818-907-4607

Lease

Plaza Del Rancho

Negotiable Negotiable

Mann Biomedical Park

1,195

Valencia Village

170 - 2,362 Lease 650 Lease

Branson Brinton (SCV Commercial) 818-414-7657

23922 Summerhill Lane Summerhill Village

Price $1.80 SF/MO/FSG+

John Erickson (Colliers Int) 661-253-5207 • Chris Erickson (Colliers Int) 661-253-5202

Bank of America Tower Kevin Fenenbock (Colliers Int.) 661-253-5204

The Plaza Golden Valley

Sale/Lease Lease

Matt Sreden (DAUM Commercial) 661-705-3552

2405 Chestnut Street

The Chestnut Building Jeff Lui (SCV Commercial Real Estate Services) 661-478-5227

22800 Lyons Avenue The Tanner Building

24303 Walnut Street

Tim Crissman (Crissman Commercial Services) 661- 295-9300

27502 Avenue Scott 28546 Constellation Road 27413 Tourney Road

3,893 5,734 1,290

Craig Peters (CBRE) 661-907-4716 Richard Ramirez (CBRE) 661-907-4639

24840 Avenue Stanford, #300 Richard Ramirez (CBRE) 661- 907-4639

6,187

Lease

Negotiable

26

SANTA CLARITA VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL

FEBRUARY 2016

Commercial, Industrial & Retail Real Estate (Cont. from pg. 25) Office/ Medical Buildings

Sq. Ft.

Sale/Lease

Price

25775 McBean Parkway 25880 Tournament Road

1,201 – 6,682 1,043 – 4,559

Lease Lease

$2.76 SF/MO/NNN Negotiable

25050 Peachland Avenue

800 – 4,000

Lease

$2.20 SF/MO/NNN

Cody Chiarella (CBRE) 818-502-6730 • Troy Pollet (CBRE) 818-907-4620

Patti Kutschko (Daum Commercial) 661- 670-2003 Matt Sreden (Daum Commercial) 661 705-3552

Land (Commercial, Industrial & Retail) Acres Sale SWC Golden Valley Rd./Centre Pt. Pkwy.

Price

1.5

Sale

$27.17 SF ($2.3M)

149.0 (Com.)

Sale

$0.61 SF ($3.9M)

Nigel Stout (JLL) 818-531-9685

15112 Sierra Highway

Randy Cude (NAI) 661-705-3553

SEC Newhall Ranch Rd. & Rye Canyon Rd. 1.7 ac.

Sale$22.50 SF

Craig Peters (CBRE) 818-907-4616 • Doug Sonderegger (CBRE) 818-907-4607

Land (Commercial, Industrial & Retail) Acres Sale SWC Copperhill Drive & Rio Norte 8.65 Sale

Price

$22 SF

West Creek John Z. Cserkuti (NAI Capital) 661-705-3551

Placerita Canyon Road

Randy Cude (NAI Capital) 661-414-2004

Placerita Canyon/Sierra Canyon 15112 Placertia Canyon Bouquet Canyon/Vasquez Canyon 14825 Sierra Highway 24605 Railroad Avenue

Yair Haimoff (NAI Capital) 818-742-1659

9.9

Sale

$7.42 SF/$3.2M

38.26 148.75 14.5 38.30 10,743

Sale Sale Sale Sale Sale

$2.11 SF/$3.5M $0.60 SF/$3.9M $3.48SF/$2.2M $0.37 SF/$629,000 $55.75SF/$599,000

Sale Sale Sale Sale Sale Sale Sale

$21 SF/$1.1M $23 SF/$1.9M $21 SF/$2.1M $21 SF/$2.5M $21 SF/$3.5M $21 SF/$4.5M $21 SF/$5.6M

SWC Soledad Canyon Rd/Golden Valley Rd 1.19 Valley Business Center 1.90 2.29 2.67 3.86 4.96 6.15

Kevin Tamura (Daum Commercial) 661-670 -2001 Ron Berndt (Daum Commercial) 661-670-2000

Industrial Buildings 27778 Avenue Hopkins

Sq. Ft.

Sale/Lease

Price

39,474

Lease

$0.58 SF/MO/NNN

28312 Constellation Road

5,404

Sale

$215 SF/$1.1M

25334 Avenue Stanford 28305 Constellation Road 28338 Constellation Road 26450 – 25470 Ruether Avenue 28452 Constellation Road 28506 Constellation Road 28486 Westinghouse Place #110 26340 Diamond Place

17,775 6,766 3,320 2,089 3,180 4,595 7.513 2,154

Sale $123 SF ($2.2M) Sale $185 SF($1.3M) Lease $0.90 to $1.15 SF/MO/NNN Lease $0.99 SF/MO/NNN Lease $0.85 SF/MO/NNN Lease $0.89 SF/MO/NNN Lease $0.89 SF/MO/NNN Lease $1.50 SF/MO/NNN

Kevin Tamura (Daum Commercial) 661-670-2001 • Ron Berndt (Daum Commercial) 661-670-2000 Matt Sreden (NAI Capital) 661-755-6654

Yair Haimoff (NAI Capital) 818-742-1659

24820 Avenue Tibbitts

13,045

Tim Crissman (Crissman Commercial Services) 661-295-9300

26000 Springbrook Avenue #17

Pamela Verner (SCV Commercial) 661-714-5271

29023 The Old Road

Richard Ramirez (CBRE) 818-907-4639

27525 Newhall Ranch Rd.; Unit 9

17,000 14,536 7,584

Lease

$0.75 SF/MO/NNN

Lease Lease Lease

$0.75 SF/MO/MG

35,310

Lease

$0.59 SF/MO/NNN

28210 N. Avenue Stanford 25060 Avenue Tibbitts

116,143 21,147

Lease Sale

$0.58 SF/MO/NNN $135.00 SF

24700 Avenue Rockefeller

50,261

Lease

$0.57 SF/MO/NNN

Craig Peters (CBRE) 818-907-4616

28358 Constellation Road, Unit B 8 28338 Constellation Rd. Unit 920

4,984 3,328

$0.61 SF/MO/NNN $0.62 SF/MO/NNN $0.62 SF/MO/NNN $0.62 SF/MO/NNN $0.62 SF/MO/NNN

Lease Lease

$0.65 SF/MO/NNN $0.76 SF/MO/NNN

James Ebanks (Realty Advisory Group Inc.) 661-702-8880 x12 • Lauren Ebanks (Realty Advisory Group Inc.) 661-702-8882 x18

24971 Avenue Stanford

20,415

Sale

$135 SF

Mark Sokolowski (NDKF) 310-491-2075, 818-497-8815 • Sean O’Leary (NDKF) 310-491-2010

25159 Avenue Stanford

79,701

Sale

$115.00 SF

21,650 3,480

Lease Sale

$0.79 SF/MO/NNN $210.00 SF

4,790 1,584

Sale Lease

$870,000 $1.35 SF/MO/NNN

Todd Lorber (NAI Capital) 818-933-2376

28381 Constellation Road 28446 Constellation Road Randy Cude (NAI Capital) 661-705-3553

28029 Smyth Drive 26635 Valley Center Drive, Unit 106

Ron Berndt (Daum Commercial) 661-670-2000 • Kevin Tamura (Daum Commercial) 661-670-2001

24922 Anza Drive, Unit F

11,600

Lease

$0.80 SF/MO/IG

Nigel Stout (JLL) 818-531-9685

28903 Avenue Paine 146,000 Sale $142 SF + 1.8 ac. Land 28308 Industry Drive 54,060 Lease $0.64 SF/M0/NNN 25161 Rye Canyon Loop Mann Biomedical Park Building #61 10,000 - 38,465 Lease $0.60 SF/MO/NNN 26037 Huntington Lane 22,557 Sale/Lease $0.63 SF/M0/NNN/$139 SF Craig Peters (CBRE) 818-907-4616 • Doug Sonderegger (CBRE) 818-907-4607

27911 Franklin Parkway

39,975

Lease

$0.54 SF/MO/NNN

52,260

Lease

$0.65 SF/MO/NNN

Doug Sonderegger (CBRE) 818-907-4607

28650 Braxton

John Erickson (Colliers Int.) 661- 253-5202 Chris Erickson (Colliers Int.) 661- 253-5207

28029 Smyth Drive

4,790

Sale

$181 SF/$870,000

Ron Berndt (Daum Commercial) 661-670-2000 Kevin Tamura (Daum Commercial) 661-670-2001

26858 Ruether Avenue

2,132

Lease

$1.05 SF/MO/MG

Lease

$0.57 SF/MO/NNN

Tim Crissman (Crissman Commercial Services) 661-295-9300

24700 – 24730 Avenue Rockefeller

93,221

Craig Peters (CBRE) 661- 907-4616 Doug Sonderegger (CBRE) 661-907-4607 Richard Ramirez (CBRE) 661- 907-4639

28034 Industry Drive. Unit A

9,973

Lease

$0.79 SF/MO/Gross

10,180

Lease

$0.75 SF/MO/NNN

Doug Sonderegger (CBRE) 818- 907-4607

20711 Centre Pointe Parkway

$0.70 SF/MO/NNN

Matt Dierckman (CBRE) 818-502-6752

$111.47 SF; $0.55 SF/MO/NNN $115 SF

Craig Peters (CBRE) 818-907-4616 • Doug Sonderegger (CBRE) 818-907-4607

Craig Peters (CRRE) 661- 907-4615 Doug Sonderegger (CBRE) 661- 907-4607

John Erickson (Colliers Int.) 661-253-5202 • Chris Erickson (Colliers Int.) 661-253-5207

28334 Industry Drive

25158 Avenue Stanford 44,548 Sale/Lease 26308 Spirit Court 44,944 Sale 28340-28400 Avenue Crocker Rexford Industrial Center (various combinations) Unit A 22,288 Lease Unit B 22,712 Lease Unit C 25,325 Lease Unit B & C 48,047 Lease Unit A, B & C 70,325 Lease

$0.79 SF/MO/NNN

$0.63 SF/MD/MG $0.59 SF/MO/IG $0.55 SF/MO/NNN $0.90-$1.00 SF/MO/IG $0.79 SF/MO/IG $139.00/$0.59 SF/MO/IG $0.88 SF/MO/MG $397.00 SF; $495,000 $0.75 SF/MO/NNN $825,000 $1.05 SF/MO/IG $0.95 SF/MO/IG $1.05 SF/MO/IG

Price $0.57 SF/MO/NNN

Craig Peters (CBRE) 818-907-4616 • Doug Sonderegger (CBRE) 818-907-4607 • Richard Ramirez (CBRE) 661-907-4639

Craig Peters (CBRE) 661- 907- 4616 Sam Glendon (CBRE) 818- 502-6745

Nigel Stout (JLL) 818-531-9685

28478 Westinghouse Place 8,284 Lease 25615 Hercules 17,455 Lease 27795 Avenue Hopkins 10,214 Lease 26074 Avenue Hall 1,561 - 3,131 Lease 26943-26951 Ruether Ave. 2,025 Lease 28430 Witherspoon Pkwy. 37,766 Sale/Lease 25040 Avenue Tibbits 1,440 Lease 28212 Kelly Johnson Pky. 1,244 Sale 24,048 - 12,048 Lease 25215 – 25217 Rye Canyon Road 28368 Constellation Rd., Bldg C, Unit 360 4,017 Sale 26074 Avenue Hall, Unit #5 3,131 Lease Unit #12 3,082 Lease Unit #21 3,177 Lease

Industrial Buildings (cont.) Sq. Ft. Sale/Lease 24730 Avenue Rockefeller 42,960 Lease (Buildings above can be combined for a total of 93,221 SF in space)

27420 Avenue Scott Unit C &D 21515 Centre Pointe Parkway

68,592 16,773

Lease Sale

$0.53 SF/MO/NNN $215 SF/$3.6M

Chris Jackson (NAI Capital) 818-933-2368 Todd Lorber 818-933- 2376 Matt Ehrlich 818-933- 2364

Future Industrial Projects Sq. Ft. West of I-5/SR 126/Commerce Center Drive Gateway V (Phase 1) IAC Commerce Center (Phase 1)

60,923 - 105,407 93,500 - 250,000

Sale/Lease Sale /Lease Lease

Price/Availability TBD;1Q 2016 TBD; 3Q 2016

Sierra Highway/Newhall Avenue/14 Freeway Needham Ranch (Phase 1) 16,000 - 223,530 Sale /Lease TBD; 1Q 2017 Craig Peters (CBRE) 818-907-4616 • Doug Sonderegger (CBRE) 818-907-4607 • Richard Ramirez (CBRE) 818-907-4639

28608 Hasley Canyon Road

20,499 - 44,162

Lease

TBD

Avalon Business Center JamesEbanks(RealtyAdvisoryGroupInc.)661-702-8880x12•LaurenEbanks(RealtyAdvisoryGroupInc.)661-702-8882x18

28528 Industry Drive

42,159

Sale

$134 SF/TBD

Gateway Industrial Doug Sonderegger (CBRE) 818-907-4607 • Craig Peters (CBRE) 818-907-4616

Future Office Projects 27750 North Entertainment Drive

Sq. Ft. 100,000

Sale/Lease Lease

Price TBD

Entrada Gateway Center Ryan House (JLL) 818-531-9677 • Dan Sanchez (JLL) 818-531-9682 • Jim Lindvall (JLL) 818-531-9678 Note: Parties interested in properties should contact listing broker or agent for more information.

James E. Brown, Manager Business Attraction, SCVEDC, 661-288-4413, JimBrown@scvedc.org

FEBRUARY 2016

SANTA CLARITA VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL

Residential Real Estate Housing Stats - Santa Clarita Valley

Nov ‘15

SCV Median Home Value 520,000 SCV Median Condo Value 330,000 SCV Home Sales 154 SCV Condo Sales 86 SCV Avg. # of Days on Market (SF) 93 SCV Single Family Home Inventory 502

Oct ’15

Nov ’14

500,000 315,000 205 93 79 546

484,000 295,000 235 66 87 396

27

Santa Clarita Valley’s Largest Full Service Commercial Real Estate Firm Serving North Los Angeles Now Recruiting Quality Brokers

Source: Santa Clarita Valley Economic Development Corporation.

December Sales

Acton New Listings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Total Active Listings . . . . . . . . .44 New Escrows Closed. . . . . . . . . .9 Median Sale Price . . . . . $540,000 Agua Dulce New Listings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Total Active Listings . . . . . . . . .23 New Escrows Closed. . . . . . . . . .3 Median Sale Price . . . . . $285,000 Canyon Country New Listings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38 Total Active Listings . . . . . . . .102 New Escrows Closed. . . . . . . . .82 Median Sale Price . . . . . $415,000 Castaic New Listings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 Total Active Listings . . . . . . . . .37 New Escrows Closed. . . . . . . . .30 Median Sale Price . . . . . $446,500

Newhall New Listings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 Total Active Listings . . . . . . . . .46 New Escrows Closed. . . . . . . . .45 Median Sale Price . . . . . $335,000 Saugus New Listings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36 Total Active Listings . . . . . . . . .68 New Escrows Closed. . . . . . . . .65 Median Sale Price . . . . . $502,000 Stevenson Ranch New Listings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Total Active Listings . . . . . . . . .19 New Escrows Closed. . . . . . . . .25 Median Sale Price . . . . . $655,000 Valencia New Listings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53 Total Active Listings . . . . . . . .111 New Escrows Closed. . . . . . . . .78 Median Sale Price . . . . . $460,000

We expand your potential and deliver results For more information, contact:

Yair Haimoff, SIOR Executive Vice President, Branch Manager 27451 Tourney Road, Suite 200 Valencia, CA 91355 (661) 705-3550

naicapital.com

Source: Southland Regional Association of Realtors. Dec. 1 - 31, 2015

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