209 Business Journal - September 2020

k e e p i n g

BUSINESS JOURNAL

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SEPTEMBER 2020

VOLUME 5 ■ ISSUE 9

IN PROFILE

Fresh Fork in Ceres is bringing the 209 some healthy eating options.

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IN PROFILE

ANGELINA MARTIN/209 BUSINESS JOURNAL

Turlock rope maker is marking 40 years of success.

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A new Smart & Final grocery store is the latest addition to the newly-revitalized Turlock Town Center.

Incoming businesses breathe new life into Turlock Town Center

BY ANGELINA MARTIN

T

209 Business Journal

he revitalization of the Turlock Town Center is nearly complete as the community recently welcomed the grand opening of its newest tenant, Smart & Final Extra!, and eagerly awaits the arrival of several other businesses.

Things began to move and shake in the Golden State Boulevard shopping center two years ago, when owner Gary Pinkston of Meridian Pacific purchased both Rite Aid as well as the rest of TTC. Pinkston specializes in purchasing older shopping centers and sprucing them up with updated exteriors and modern retailers in order to meet the needs of the surrounding community.

He’s done just that with TTC, shifting things around to build a brand-new Rite Aid and open a much-needed grocery store in the area.

“When Turlock Town Center was in its inception 25 or 30 years ago, it was a very vibrant shopping center with Albertsons and Rite Aid as the anchor tenants. Then, as often happens, there was a move out of the anchor tenant Albertsons,” Pinkston said. “So, the shopping center has probably run at about 50 percent of its capacity in sales for the past 15 years.”

In order to increase TTC’s value,

Pinktson spent tens of thousands of dollars on improvements to the center’s landscaping and other aesthetics before enticing Smart & Final Extra! to move in. The store combines the high-quality, fresh produce of a farmer’s market, the low prices of a discount grocer and the large club size products of the company’s traditional stores and is moving into Rite Aid’s former space.

Rite Aid has downsized into a smaller, but newer location where Goodwill, Klassy Kuts and Rainbow Fabrics used to be. The three businesses in turn moved to the north end of the center by Jura’s Pizza Parlor and where Popeye’s Louisiana Chicken will soon open.

In addition, there are plans for Mundo’s Latin Grill to vacate its current location and move into a different space within the shopping center. Its old location will be torn down, along with the former insurance building next to it, in order to make room for a brand new McDonald’s.

Pinkston believes the new anchor and exterior improvements, in addition to the other number of small businesses the center has attracted over the last two years, will double retail sales activity in the shopping center. Now, residents on the same side of town as the TTC won’t have to drive to other shopping centers that are further

away from their home in order to get the essentials.

“What we find particularly in Central California is that there are residential areas which were initially well-served with modern retail, then more growth happens... everyone wants to dance with the new girl at the party,” Pinkston said, referring to newer shopping centers on the north side of town.

“Now people don’t have to drive as far. We’ve got the services right in the middle of town now.”

Smart & Final Extra! celebrated its opening in June. With the grand “reopening” of the TTC, Pinkston

hopes to see the community view the center as a vital piece of the community, whether that means hosting an event in the parking lot or utilizing “pick up” spaces during the coronavirus pandemic.

“It’s kind of like doing a puzzle and we fit a nice piece in there,” Pinkston said. “Maryn Pitt from the City helped so much and was instrumental, along with the entire City of Turlock. We couldn’t have done this without their cooperation. That was our first stop and they said, ‘We’d love to work with you.’”

ANGELINA MARTIN/209 BUSINESS JOURNAL

Plenty has moved around in the center in recent months, including the forthcoming relocation of Mundo’s Latin Grill.

209 BUSINESS JOURNAL

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SEPTEMBER 2020

IN PROFILE

New Manteca dermatologist relocates from Chicago

BY VINCE REMBULAT 209 Business Journal

DALE BUTLER/209 BUSINESS JOURNAL

Local businesses have struggled to stay afloat because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Martin Magallanes, co-owner of Fresh Fork Grill in Ceres, talked about some of the challenges he’s faced. Fresh Fork had to reduce its staff size and change its hours of operation to survive during these tough times.

Ceres business offers healthy alternative for eating out

BY DALE BUTLER

Martin and Carmina had to change the way they operate Fresh Fork in order to keep their business from going under.

Fresh Fork reduced its staff size from a dozen to two people.

“We had a significant drop in sales, initially 60 percent,” Martin said. “We had to rearrange staffing.

After COVID, it was me and my manager handling the operations. Everybody else was laid off. Slowly, we started rehiring.”

Fresh Fork is open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday.

“Before COVID, we were open seven days a week,” Martin said. “We were

209 Business Journal

Businesses located in California, including in the 209 area code, and other states have struggled to stay afloat and even been driven to bankruptcy due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Martin and Carmina Magallanes, owners of Fresh Fork Grill in Ceres, aren’t ready to throw in the towel.

“We’re optimistic,” Martin said. “There’s going to be good and bad days in every industry. The passion is what keeps you moving forward.”

“We survived the pandemic,” he added. “But it’s too early to celebrate.”

forced to shut down on the weekends. Business was slow.”

Online sales account for half of Fresh Fork’s overall revenue.

“Fifty percent of our sales come through online ordering,” Martin said.

“That’s a benefit we’ve gained through this.”

Fresh Fork also offers a rewards program for its clientele.

“Five percent of every dollar goes into an account,” Martin said. “Customers accumulate free money and can use it for future purchases.” with all the changes that havebeen made, one thing has remained constant.

Fresh Fork’s menu hasn’t changed. The concept is simple: Pick a size—bowl or plate; pick a choice of rice—brown or white; pick a choice of protein—Angus beef, chicken or tofu; and lastly, pick a choice of vegetables—carrots, cabbage and broccoli or mixed. The sauce is soy based.

“Most people gravitate to the chicken bowl,” Martin said. “That’s the go-to.

The sauce is kind of what makes the whole plate,” he added.

Salads are not made from iceberg lettuce but rather with kale and slivers of carrot served with slices of orSEE

FORK,

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Rather than short pants and sleeveless shirts, Dr. Francis recommends protective wear such as long pants, a hat, and sunglasses for skin protection. “Clothing does a good job in screening out the sun,” she said.

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Dr. Francis is a boardcertified dermatologist and her personal interest is in skin cancer, hair loss, occupational and holistic dermatology. Sh joined Lux Dermatology, at 296 Cottage Ave., in Manteca in January. That was prior to the spread of COVID-19.

“We had to back off from offering complimentary skin cancer screening,” said Dr. Francis, who recently pointed out the current safety protocols in place at Lux Dermatology during the pandemic – everyone is required to wear face masks along with maintaining social distancing, hand cleaning and sanitizing, etc.

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IN PROFILE

New doctors join Oakdale Wetzel’s Pretzels hits the ground rolling Veterinary Group

BY ANGELINA MARTIN 209 Business Journal

STAFF REPORTS 209 Business Journal

It has been a successful summer for the Oakdale Veterinary Group as the business has welcomed three new doctors to the team. Dr. Charlotte Kim, Dr. Victoria Hare and Dr. Krystal Bove have joined OVG, now working along-

side Dr. Anita Zifer and owner Dr. Ned Trathan.

Within a month’s time, OVG went from having two doctors to five doctors due to the increased clientele and additional help needed for the vet technicians.

All three new doctors are highly certified and are SEE

VET,

PAGE 5

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED

Shown, from left, Dr. Anita Zifer, owner Dr. Ned Trathan, Dr. Christine Kim and Dr. Krystal Bove; all part of the Oakdale Veterinary Group team. Not pictured is Dr. Victoria Hare. Oakdale Veterinary Group is at 20 S. Stearns Road in Oakdale.

Turlock resident Tony Zaia has owned and operated Wetzel’s Pretzels establishments in local malls for nearly two decades, but the coronavirus pandemic has forced the businessman to get creative and take to the streets.

Over the past few weeks, a very long line has formed in the Turlock Christian Elementary School parking lot as customers eagerly await one of the restaurant’s famous pretzels. When his three locations in the Modesto and Merced malls were shut down due to COVID-19, Zaia decided to utilize his Wetzel’s Pretzels food truck to ensure locals can still get their hands on their favorite food items.

“It’s been pretty tough for us and like everyone else, we had the idea of taking our business outdoors. It’s worked out perfectly,” Zaia said.

“With everything that’s going on, it’s been our

ANGELINA MARTIN/209 BUSINESS JOURNAL

Turlock resident Tony Zaia owns three Wetzel’s Pretzels in the Modesto and Merced malls and has taken his food truck to the streets in search of income during the pandemic.

main source of income at this time.”

Typically, the Wetzel’s Pretzels truck is stationed in the TC parking lot for a few days each week. Due to the heatwave, its first day back will be Sept. 2, the day after a fundraiser the truck is hosting at Walnut Elementary EduSEE

WETZEL,

Wetzel’s Pretzels Location: 2323 Colorado Ave., Turlock (Turlock Christian parking lot) Hours: Beginning Sept. 2: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Wednesday through Friday Contact information: 209-595-3597 Specialty: The Jalaroni pretzel

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SEPTEMBER 2020

IN PROFILE

Oakdale’s new business is a real game changer

BY AUTUMN NEAL 209 Business Journal

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED

RJ Rope Manufacturing owner Rick Jones and his son/manager Tevin Jones are celebrating 40 years of creating rope products for a variety of different customers.

Climbing the rope to success

BY ANGELINA MARTIN 209 Business Journal

RJ Rope Manufacturing has grown in many ways since Turlock resident Rick Jones started the business 40 years ago, evolving from an equine products-only operation at its inception to now providing a variety of much-needed products for the everyday customer — and some high-profile clients.

The idea to start his own rope manufacturing business came to Rick in 1980 while working for his father at Turlock Saddlery.

Through his employment at the saddle and tack shop, Rick realized that the rope and rope products available for customers at the time weren’t well-suited for customers. Thus, RJ Rope Manufacturing was born and is now a family endeavor.

“We have grown in several different aspects. We started with one old dinosaur of a machine — circa 1910 — and as time went on our need for more and more machines grew,” said Tevin Jones, Rick’s son who manages the facility.

“Also, we have grown in the types of products we create. Primarily we started with equine products, but now we have many different types and needs we can provide, such as pet, rigging, marine, fitness and military.”

For those who aren’t

RJ Rope Manufacturing Location: 1201 S. Blaker Rd., Turlock Hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday Contact information: 209-632-9708; www. rjrope.com Specialty: Equine and rigging products

quite sure how the process works, there are three stages which turn yarn into rope. First, the necessary colors and amounts of yarn are gathered and then run through a twisting machine to create the desired product. This not only helps the multiple ends become one strand, but also increases abrasion resistance. The next stage is bobbin winding, which sees the twisted yarn wound onto bobbins, or small spindles. Then, the rope is braided by using high-speed machines before it is placed on a spool and packed for sale.

Pet enthusiasts in search of a quality-made harness or leash can find plenty to choose from on the RJ Rope Manufacturing website, while gym owners can purchase a battle rope or two to ensure their clients can challenge themselves when it comes to upper body work. The U.S. military is a frequent customer

of the business, and RJ Rope Manufacturing was even commissioned by the San Francisco 49ers to produce the rope for the field goal nets at Levi’s Stadium.

The company has also branched out to making boating products, and Turlockers can proudly sport an RJ Rope Manufacturing hat if they please. All of the progress is indicative of the business’ success, Tevin said, which is quite the accomplishment given the “economic hills and valleys of starting and owning a business in California.”

There are only a few rope manufacturing companies in California, he added, and just a handful on the entire west coast. Tevin believes RJ Rope Manufacturing sets itself apart by providing quality assurance and countless color customization options.

“Generally, if you were to buy rope at a big box store, it would be undersized and made with a loose braid,” Tevin said. “We make sure ours is true to diameter and made with a tight braid to make it stronger and last longer.”

There are many rewards that come with offering an in-demand product to a variety of different sectors, but there’s one thing that stands out the most for the Jones family: “The satisfaction of making a quality product that our customers enjoy and need.”

It’s no secret that the coronavirus has taken a lot from local kids: in-person school, visits to see the latest movies, hangouts with friends, and everything in between. Life has moved online to Zoom calls and Google Classrooms.

Though Chris Chavez pursued a similar business before the pandemic, his new “Gamers Garage” is proving a serendipitous, COVID-friendly addition to the area that aligns with this new way of life.

“With COVID and everything, there’s not much for kids to do,” Chavez said. “My wife was saying ‘Gosh, the kids love to play games,’ and I thought there’s got to be a safe way to allow them to do that while still enforcing the distancing rules, there’s just got to be a way.”

Enter: Gamers Garage.

Coincidentally, the business location at 150 E. E St., Oakdale, used to be an internet cafe years ago, and Chavez has re-made it to fit today’s current needs.

The Garage, now a hybrid internet cafe and gaming sanctuary, holds 15 stations for local kids and teens to come and game. The stations are socially distanced, regularly cleaned, and a mask policy is enforced.

“This place is perfect for something like COVID because you’re isolated here, the monitors block each other, there’s no interaction, they’re parked

AUTUMN NEAL/209 BUSINESS JOURNAL

Gamer’s Garage at 150 E. E St., Oakdale has 15 stations with computers that Chris Chavez hand-built himself, so he knows how to repair them if any break down.

at their station ... this is individualistic and it makes it easier for me to make it safer,” Chavez said.

He added that it’s not some sort of arcade, where people are standing around and playing games. Rather, it’s a sit down affair and through mics and headphones, gamers are able to interact with friends all around.

The hope is that when coronavirus has died down, he’ll set up some more stations and change the layout to best fit gamers’ needs.

This also isn’t just some random idea that popped into Chavez’s mind. As someone with plenty of experiences in new ventures and gaming businesses, this is just the next innovative step that he’s

taken to provide for the community.

“I’ve learned over the years that you can’t go halfway in. If you’re going to do it, you’re going to have to do it right,” he said.

This motto is visible within the business: each station is set up to a full capacity with high end computer, monitor, keyboard, mouse, chair, and headset. Chavez wants the place to be somewhere that gamers can go, knowing that they’re getting the highest quality for their gaming.

“The main point is that it’s a safe place for people to come and it’s relatively inexpensive,” he noted, adding that it’s only $5 per SEE

GAMER,

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IN PROFILE

Living Spaces nears ground breaking

116,641-square-foot showroom includes restaurant, up to 56 charging stations

BY DENNIS WYATT 209 Business Journal

Living Spaces furniture showroom is getting ready to break ground along the 120 Bypass.

The city has issued a permit for the construction of the 116,641-square-foot building shell valued at $11.5 million. A second permit for $8.5 million in interior improvements is now being reviewed by the city.

The $20 million furniture showroom is the biggest commercial project in Manteca since the 120,000-square-foot Costco store was built in 2008.

Living Spaces is anchoring a new commercial development on the southwest corner of the Union Road and 120 Bypass interchange and will front Atherton Drive.

The developer was able to secure Living Spaces after the city finished the “missing gap” of Atherton Drive between Union Road and Airport Way for $4.4 million. Most of that money will be paid back to the city as adjoining parcels develop. That money will then be used to fund other road projects within the city.

A group led by Manteca developer Bill Filios is working with other interested commercial firms to acquire space to complete the center that’s dubbed

The Manteca Living Spaces store will look like the Roseville location that recently opened.

Union Crossing. Across the street plans call for 281 apartment units east of where work has just started on model homes for a new residential neighborhood.

Once it is completed, there will be three major furniture firms within five miles of each other. Living Spaces will actually have the largest square-footage for a furniture showroom in the area. The Living Space structure is actually smaller than the Ashley’s Furniture retail outlet and warehouse in Lathrop facing Interstate 5 as well as the 1 million square foot Wayfair distribution center that opened earlier this year along the 120 Bypass in Lathrop.

Wayfair is internet sales base while the largest portion of Ashley’s is a warehouse.

The Living Spaces store will not be a warehouse per se but will be almost all

showroom. Furniture customers buy will be shipped from the Fremont distribution center in 26-foot long trucks each day between 8 and 10 a.m. The only time larger 53-foot trucks will be used is for a week when they are shipping in furniture to set up the store displays.

The Living Spaces will have space set aside within the main structure’s footprint for a restaurant to open at a later date.

The restaurant in the store is a fairly new concept for Living Spaces. A Texas location features a Beck’s Prime restaurant with patio and a second floor deck for outside dining as well as inside seating.

The Living Spaces will have an area where the staff dispenses soda and coffee to customers as well as to bake fresh cookies SEE

SPACES,

WETZEL

FROM PAGE 3

cation Center. A majority of Zaia’s employees are on unemployment, so it’s been a family affair as he mans the truck along with his wife, mother-in-law, sister and son.

While there are some similarities between operating a brick-and-mortar space and a food truck — for example, the Jalaroni pretzel with jalapenos and pepperoni is still a fan favorite — Zaia has found that there are quite a few differences, especially when he looks out at the seemingly endless line for the truck along Colorado Avenue.

“It’s a totally different operation,” he said. “We’re finding out that our average person comes to the mall and buys

VET

FROM PAGE 3 coming from around the area and even from the Midwest. Within the past year, the OVG full time staff has also doubled.

When it came to looking for new doctors to add to the team, OVG was looking for doctors who value forming relationships with clients and are looking to form long term bonds in the community.

Oakdale Veterinary Group has been serving the Oakdale community since 1979. OVG has been an American Animal Hospital Association accredited clinic since 2016. Only 15 percent of all practices are AAHA certified and reaccreditation takes place every three years.

Ned Trathan has owned

one or two pretzels, but here we’ve had a higher average ticket. The whole family comes and we have to have a lot of pretzels ready from the time we open.”

Despite some obstacles, such as the summer heat, Zaia is thankful for the support from the community during the difficult period and is grateful TC has allowed the truck to set up in its parking lot. Customers who take a tour of the elementary campus can also receive a discount at the truck. Soon, Zaia hopes to open a permanent location in Turlock.

“We have been extremely blessed and are thankful for the support of a small business and the support of us. This has been a shot in the arm for us, especially since our shops have been shut down since March. It’s been so helpful and really gave us a breath of fresh air.”

OVG since 2016 and takes immense pride in the family and customer service oriented business that he and his wife Madison Trathan have created for the staff and customers of OVG. “What is important to us is customer service and patient care,” said Dr. Trathan. “We treat every pet that comes here as if it was our own pet.”

The veterinary industry took a large six week dip earlier this year due to COVID-19; however, the business at OVG has been busier than ever and currently has 4,500 active clients and sees about 55 clients a day. The average weekly caseload is surgery heavy including multiple orthopedic procedures and advanced soft tissue procedures.

Practice manager, Madison Trathan, mentioned that patients from all over the Bay area are coming to OVG due to the services and prices that are offered. OVG is currently serving pets curb-side style to ensure that proper health and safety guidelines are enforced.

“Having now five doctors working here, there’s a lot of collaboration and different areas of expertise. Which helps us deliver a top level of patient care,” said Dr. Trathan.

Oakdale Veterinary Group is at 20 S. Stearns Road in Oakdale and is open from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday.

OVG can be reached at (209)287-3222 or at info@ oakdalevetgroup.com.

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SEPTEMBER 2020

NEWS

Governor: COVID-19 will be with us for a long time

BY SABRA STAFFORD 209 Business Journal

Gov. Gavin Newsom unveiled the Blueprint for a Safer Economy, a plan for a slow re-opening of California’s economy with the mindset that the state will be dealing with COVID-19 for the long haul.

“This Blueprint is statewide, stringent and slow,” said Gov. Newsom. “We have made notable progress over recent weeks, but the disease is still too widespread across the state. COVID-19 will be with us for a long time and we all need to adapt. We need to live differently. And we need to minimize exposure for our health, for our families and for our communities.”

Based on recent data, each county will fall into one of four colored tiers – Purple (Widespread), Red (Substantial), Orange (Moderate) and Yellow (Minimal) – based on how prevalent COVID-19 is in each county and the extent of community spread. That color will indicate how sectors can operate.

For example, in the Purple tier where the disease is widespread, restaurants can only operate outdoors.

But once a county has achieved a lower level of disease transmission and moved into the Red (Sub-

SPACES

FROM PAGE 5

that are made available on weekends. There is also a play area for kids.

The parking lot will have 456 spaces with 14 percent of them pre-wired to accommodate charging stations for electric vehicles.

As such, it will be the largest charging location in the South County if and when all potential 56 charging stations are put in place.

The Tesla Super Charging Station near Bass Pro Shops has 20 stations while the recently opened Tesla Super Charging Station on Spreckels Avenue in front of the Target Store has 10 spaces.

The Living Spaces store

stantial) tier, restaurants can operate with 25 percent capacity indoors or 100 patrons, whichever is fewer.

It relies on two leading health metrics: number of cases per 100,000 residents and percentage of COVID-19 tests that come back positive. In addition, counties will also be required to show they are targeting resources and making the greatest efforts to prevent and fight COVID in communities and with individuals with the highest risk, and demonstrate improvements in outcomes.

Counties must remain in every tier but purple for a minimum of 21 days before being eligible to move into the next tier. Each Tuesday, California will update each county’s data for the previous week and make corresponding changes to tiers.

In order to move into a less restrictive tier, a county must meet that tier’s criteria for two straight weeks.

Conversely, counties that fail to meet the metrics for their current tier for two consecutive weeks must move to the next most restrictive tier. The plan also includes an “emergency brake” where the state can intervene more immediately for concerning factors like hospitalizations.

The Blueprint was unveiled days before the state opted to go with a new system for data collection of COVID-19 cases. The California Department of Public Health and California Department of Technology have opted to go with a new compnay to track all the statewide COVID-19 data after technical issues with CalREDIE caused a significant backlog in reporting of cases in August.

OptumInsight, Inc. has been selected to develop the state’s new COVID-19 data reporting system and will collect, track and report COVID-19 cases, supplementing California’s current disease registry system known as CalREDIE. “Throughout this pandemic, our public health decisions are guided by science and data and we recognize the need for innovative and modern tools to get in front of COVID-19,” said Sandra Shewry, CDPH Acting Director. “We are taking meaningful action to update how we collect, analyze and report COVID-19 data, which is central to our ongoing statewide response and the actions local public health directors take every day to protect the health and wellbeing of Californians.”

The new standalone COVID-19 data reporting system, which was procured competitively, is a software solution built to manage the large volume of data currently tracked as a result of the pandemic. It is designed to help improve the efficiency of the system that receives data from laboratories and local public health departments and prepares data for reporting and analysis. Having upto-date data is key for the state and counties in determing when businesses and schools can re-open.

“This tool will result in measurable progress to the data quality, management and overall efficiency of reporting California’s COVID-19 lab results,” said California Chief Information Officer and CDT Director Amy Tong.

“This system will reduce labor-intensive collection processes and minimize delays in reporting data so that public health experts across the state have swift access to the tools and data they need to prevent COVID-19 transmission and respond to new cases and outbreaks.”

OptumInsight, Inc. is a global company that provides data, software and services to health care companies and govern-

will be open 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. weekdays and from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. weekends.

Plans call for 75 full-time employees and 100 parttime workers. That is in addition to seasonal workers.

The City of Manteca sealed the deal for Living Spaces with a sales tax split similar to what the city did to secure Costco and The Promenade Shops at Orchard Valley whose developers snared Bass Pro Shops.

That means Manteca — based on projected annual sales of $35 million — will end up splitting an estimated $350,000 in local sales tax. The actual deal calls for the split to be 5050 of whatever is actually generated — whether it is

annually higher or lower than $350,000 for 10 years or $3 million, whichever is reached first.

Based on the projections, Manteca while the split is in effect on an annual basis would receive $175,000 in general fund sales tax, $20,000 in property tax, and $175,000 in restricted Measure M public safety tax.

Manteca’s leaders point out the $370,000 a year the city will receive while the terms of the split are in effect is $375,000 that would have been lost to another city given Living Spaces was considering locations in nearby cities. After the terms are fulfilled, Manteca would receive all of the sales tax.

FRANCIS

ment agencies to optimize their operations. CDPH has signed a renewable, 6-month, $15.3 million contract with the company to develop the data tool using funding from the federal Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity for Prevention and Control of Emerging Infectious Diseases grant. The first phase of the new system will be up and running in October.

“Optum is honored to support the State of California’s efforts to collect and report COVID-19 data

and help stem the spread of the virus. We are mobilizing our proven health IT capabilities to standardize, analyze, and publish COVID-19 test results and to provide public health officials with the quality data they need to make critical decisions and support communities across the state,” said Robert Musslewhite, CEO of OptumInsight, the health care technology business of Optum.

ROOFING • FENCING • PLYWOOD • SIDING

FROM PAGE 2

along with improving the quality of life for each person.

She strongly believes in providing patients with treatment options that they’re comfortable with coupled with giving comprehensive skin cancer evaluations and minimally invasive surgical procedures. Early detection is the key, she said.

In addition, she’s involved with the Skin Cancer Foundation and part of the Destination Healthy Skin tour.

For more information, call 624-7006 or log on to www.luxdermatologists. com/location/manteca-

Denair Location: (209) 632-2494 Riverbank Location: (209) 869-4424 www.DenairLumberCo.com HARDWARE • INSULATION • WINDOWS • O.S.B.

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7

OPINION

Vol. 5 No. 9 ■ September 2020

Creativity is intelligence having fun. ­—Albert Einstein

PUBLISHER Hank Vander Veen

EDITOR Sabra Stafford

NEWSROOM Dale Butler Dennis D. Cruz Kristina Hacker Teresa Hammond Angelina Martin Autumn Neal Vince Rembulat Virginia Still Dennis Wyatt

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Harold L. George

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Sharon Hoffman

SALES & MARKETING

How IC-DISC tax incentives can help food exporters save big Delicious shelled or unshelled, the humble pistachio has become America’s highestvalued specialty crop exported to China. That is despite escalating tariffs on American goods in the country resulting from the U.S.-China trade war.

And it is not just pistachios: There is a booming demand around the world for food exports. In California, for instance, 44 percent of the food the state produces is sold overseas across more than 60 foreign markets.

Exporters too, for their part, love foreign markets — and not just because they are a valuable source of new consumer bases. It is also because, if they structure their corporation correctly, food exporters can take advantage of a tax incentive that can save shareholders double-digit percentage points on their income taxes, among other benefits.

That tax incentive is the interest charge domestic international sales tax incentive, or IC-DISC. First introduced in 1984, the regime is currently the only U.S. export tax incentive for companies.

How Does an IC-DISC Work?

To take advantage of the tax benefits, an exporter must set up a separate corporation to serve as the IC-DISC. The operating company pays the ICDISC a commission based on export sales and export taxable income, which is tax deductible to the exporter. Because the IC-DISC is tax exempt, it pays no taxes on the income received from the operating company.

MINNIE WRIGHT INTERNATIONAL TAX PARTNER AT BPM LLP

The IC-DISC then pays that income out to its shareholders — who are identical with the shareholders of the operating company — in the form of dividends. This creates major tax benefits for shareholders because dividends are taxed a rate of 20% to 23.8%, rather than 37%, which is the top ordinary income tax bracket.

Alternatively, the IC-DISC can choose to retain its earnings, resulting in a tax deferral that can extend indefinitely.

However, shareholders in this scenario do assume an interest charge on the deferred taxes.

There is no minimum export amount to qualify for the ICDISC, please contact our BPM IC-DISC team to see if an ICDISC will work for you.

Qualifying for IC-DISC The IC-DISC exists solely on paper; it need not have any employees, offices or intangible assets. It does, however, have to maintain its own accounting records, and it must file a separate U.S. tax return.

And there are other details: For instance, the IC-DISC must be a C corporation, have only a single class of stock, and must have a minimum of $2,500 in capital.

But the important thing is it can pass these two tests: the 95% gross receipts test and the 95% qualified export asset test.

The former test just means that

95% of the IC-DISC’s gross receipts must come from qualified gross receipts. Categories of gross receipts that qualify include sale, exchange or other disposition of export property; lease or rental of export property used outside the U.S.; and services related or subsidiary to the sale of exports.

Additionally, sales made to U.S. distributors or to foreign disregarded entities may qualify, assuming those entities ultimately export the product in some form. This can help, for example, almond or cotton farmers who sell to U.S.based processors or distributors who ultimately export the product qualify. In any case, it is important to consult with an accountant familiar with ICDISC rules and regulations to determine what sales qualify.

Receipts that definitely do not qualify include export property ultimately intended for use in the U.S., sales and leases subsidized by the U.S. government, and export property intended for use by the U.S. government.

What Kind of Exports are Eligible?

Only certain kinds of goods qualify as export property under IC-DISC regulations. Intangible assets like patents, copyrights, designs, franchises and other similar property categories do not qualify. Oil, gas, coal and uranium are also excluded, as well as unprocessed softwood timber and property leased or rented by any other business connected to the corporation that owns the ICDISC.

Per U.S. Treasury regulations, export property must be manufactured, grown or extracted in the United States. It must also be used, consumed or otherwise disposed outside the U.S. And no more than 50% of the property’s fair market value should be attributable to any foreign content.

Thankfully, that does not greatly affect agriculture businesses. Top food exports including wine, cotton, beef, almonds, walnuts and pistachios can all be qualified export property, assuming they meet all the other requirements mentioned above.

Single and Shared IC-DISCs Shared IC-DISCs, in which multiple tax payers pay commissions to the same IC-DISC entity, can make it easier for smaller exporters to take advantage of these tax incentives.

For instance, some larger processors in the Central Valley have worked with BPM to set up shared IC-DISCs in which the processors serve as a kind of sponsor for their growers.

In this way, electing to share an IC-DISC can help companies subsidize some of the fees associated with setting up and maintaining the IC-DISC. Make sure to ask your IC-DISC accountant about this option, if costs are an obstacle to your business taking advantage of this important tax benefit. It may very well change the calculus.

Can IC-DISC Benefit Your Agribusiness?

You may have investigated the possibility of using an ICSEE

WRIGHT,

PAGE 8

Chris Castro Beth Flanagan Karen Olsen Corey Rogers Melody Wann Charles Webber

DIGITAL Frankie Tovar Rich Matheson

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8

SEPTEMBER 2020

BUILDING YOUR BUSINESS AT WORK

‘The Purpose is Profit’: Not just another startup guide If you go to your local bookstore (they still exist, don’t they?) or search for “entrepreneur” or “small business” on Amazon, you will find thousands of books and e-books on how to start a business.

To paraphrase the Old Testament book of Ecclesiastes, of making many startup success books there is no end, including — truth be told — a number I have written over the years.

It’s hard to say something new and different in a startup guide, but Ed “Skip” McLaughlin and co-author Wyn Lydecker (a small business expert in her own right) have managed to do it in “The Purpose is Profit: The Truth About Starting and Building Your Own Business.”

The authors have truly walked the walk.

McLaughlin is the founder of four businesses and is currently running Blue Sunsets LLC, a real estate and angel investment firm. His first business was a corporate real estate outsourcing firm called United Systems Integrators Corporation, or USI, which he grew into an Inc. 500 company. In 2005, he sold USI to Johnson Controls, and then became CEO of the company’s Global Workplace Business for the Americas.

McLaughlin’s life story is of interest to me for a couple of reasons. First, he is exactly as old as I am. Second, he got the entrepreneurial itch at exactly the same time I did, in 1990. Third, the tipping point came to him in a similar way it did me. While a partner in a large real estate development firm, he came in to work one Saturday morning and found a spreadsheet in an office copier that showed he would be gradually phased out of the company. In my case, I was working as inside counsel for a large financial institution. The senior lawyer who hired me, and who was my champion within the company, was

CLIFF ENNICO CREATORS SYNDICATE

reassigned to a special projects position, and my package arrived soon afterwards.

Most importantly, while McLaughlin’s first venture, USI, was a colossal success (unlike mine), his follow-up entrepreneurial venture (like mine) was a total flop.

In 1991, McLaughlin formed Sigma Communications Inc. with profits from USI. He set out to publish a high-quality, quarterly magazine, The National Register of Commercial Real Estate, to share ideas for dealing with surplus real estate, and to efficiently link real-estate buyers and sellers through the magazine’s centerpiece, The Commercial Property Exchange. The Exchange would list surplus commercial property that was for sale, for lease or for sublease.

In 1991, I set out to launch my own publishing company, Biennix Press, to create a catalogue of books, newsletters and other dead-tree publications providing career advice and counseling to young lawyers, paralegals and legal professionals (don’t bother looking for it online, for it’s long gone, although a couple of my books from that era are still in circulation).

Looking back, McLaughlin realized that he made seven crucial errors with his venture: —He had no competence, experience or track record in publishing.

—He did not secure preorders to validate the business model.

—He let his passion blind him to the realities of the market.

—He did not plan adequate funding for the scope of the venture.

—He did not listen to the advice of advisors and

industry experts.

—He did not budget adequate time to sell a new business model.

—He did not have sufficient resources to reach profitability.

Looking back, I realize that I made all seven of McLaughlin’s mistakes with my own publishing venture. However, I got lucky: Favorable reviews for our first book (a handbook on interviewing for a legal job) appeared in some high-profile publications targeting law students, young lawyers and (critically for us) law librarians, which generated significant sales for Biennix Press, at least for a while.

Based on my own experience, I think McLaughlin should have added an eighth mistake: not taking seriously enough new developments and technologies that will make your business model obsolete.

He and I both started our businesses in the early 1990s. A few years later, we all realized that the internet was a disruptive technology that would dramatically change the world of book publishing.

People wouldn’t be looking to books and magazines for career information or property listings.

The future was (and still is) online.

I folded my business because I didn’t think I had the skills and competence to bring my “career advice for lawyers” concept into the 21st century.

McLaughlin folded Sigma Communications for similar reasons. But he found a buyer for his successful USI business (lucky sod), and his post-sale experiences are required reading for anyone who thinks selling out is all gravy.

McLaughlin’s experiences are the framework from which he builds his advice for startup entrepreneurs, his key point being, “Don’t do what you are passionate about; do what you know and are competent at doing.”

Amen, brother.

DALE BUTLER/209 BUSINESS JOURNAL

Fresh Fork Grill is located off Highway 99 in Ceres at 3018 Service Road. The business is open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday.

FORK

FROM PAGE 2 ange.

Food is served in a biodegradable container on a metal plate.

Forks used to eat meals are biodegradable as well.

The food prepared and served is “never frozen, never fried, never fake food,” said Martin. “Everything is fresh.”

Bowls for kids are $5.49 while larger bowls are $6.99 and plates with salad are $8.49.

Fresh Fork Grill, which opened its door in January of 2019, is located off Highway 99 at 3018 Service Road in Ceres.

“We wanted to provide a healthier choice for the community,” Martin said.

“That was the main reason for opening. We’ve built a couple businesses from

scratch.”

Martin and Carmina opened the Camp Transformation Center, which focuses on weight loss, in northwest Modesto six years ago. Carmina handles the day-to-day operations for the business.

“Chicken breast and brown rice is all we eat,” Martin said. “That’s the meal plan we give to our clientele. Clean proteins and carbohydrates.”

Martin and Carmina believe better days are ahead for Fresh Fork.

Walmart plans to open a new 185,682-square foot supercenter in the yetto-be developed Mitchell Ranch Shopping Center at the northwest corner of Service and Mitchell roads.

The shopping center includes plans for 10 other retail shops totaling 114,162 square feet, including three other major tenants

WRIGHT

FROM PAGE 7

DISC in the past and found it was not worth it. Or you may have made use of one previously, but found it more advantageous to not use them in years since.

However, the utility of IC-DISCs should ideally be evaluated on a yearly basis. Just because it was not worth it in the past, it does not mean it could not be valuable today. And just because you have used an IC-DISC before, you may not need to use one right now.

The professionals in BPM’s International Tax Services practice are equipped with the training and the deep industry knowledge you need to help you make the best tax decisions for your agribusiness.

From setting up IC-DISCs and calculating DISC commissions to ensuring the IC-DISC remains in good standing, BPM’s

and four smaller shops as well as a stand-alone retail building and two to three new restaurants.

“We’re banking on that opening,” Martin said.

“Our sales should go up tremendously.”

In the meantime, Martin and Carmina will continue to rely on the business they receive from current customers to keep Fresh Fork Grill afloat.

“They see the value in the meal, the fresh ingredients, the quality of the food, and the price,” Martin said.

Martin and Carmina have yet to set a date but plan to open a second Fresh Fork Grill in the Central Valley.

“We’re looking at a location in northeast Modesto,” he said.

Jeff Benziger contributed to this report.

IC-DISC Export Tax Incentive team leverages advanced proprietary software and finely-honed expertise to efficiently take care of all your business’s IC-DISC needs with minimal input, so you can maintain focus on your business’s core activities.

Minnie Wright is an International Tax Partner at BPM LLP. She leads the firm’s IC-DISC (Interest Charge – Domestic International Sales Corporation) tax practice and co-leads its Agribusiness Industry Group. Minnie can be reached at MWright@bpmcpa.com.

BPM LLP is one of the 50 largest public accounting and advisory firms in the country. With more than 500 professionals along the West Coast – as well as an office in Bengaluru – we help clients succeed around the world. We offer a cross-functional team approach that gives clients direct access to the best and most qualified resources. To learn more, visit us at http:// bpmcpa.com.

209 BUSINESS JOURNAL

9

NEWS

Branding Challenges Faced

BY SMALL BUSINESSES

We understand that branding is a big part of any business. When you’re able to establish an effective brand, your business is authoritative and trusted.

Before delving into branding issues faced by small businesses, we must first understand what a brand is.

When people think of the word brand, there are a couple of things that come to mind. It could be signage, a logo, or an item used to market or sell product or services. While this is right, this is just a small aspect of what branding is. Think of it as a promise you make to your customers — letting them know the type of service they can expect from you, how you are different from the competition, and, most importantly, what you stand for.

Let’s think big for a minute and take a page out of the book of some of the biggest brand stories. How did they become so successful? While it’s easy to say they may have had

BETH DEVINE PRINCIPAL, DEVINE SOLUTIONS GROUP

a stroke of good luck or some influential support, the truth is that deliberate branding strategies were implemented to get recognized.

When it comes to smaller businesses, creating a viable brand strategy can pose some challenges. There isn’t a one size fits all plan that guarantees awareness. You have to consider branding as an art; it involves creating something different and new.

Branding is easy for companies with large budgets and a talented marketing department. But on the other hand, it can be quite challenging for a small business with limited resources.

Below are some branding challenges small businesses face.

The Ability to Accurately Define the Purpose of Your

Brand and How It Differs from Others A brand’s purpose should accurately describe why your business exists and how it differs from the competition. A brand that clearly articulates its purpose can help owners make decisions that add credence and improve customer satisfaction.

The focus of a small business, especially when starting out, is getting things running smoothly and efficiently. Very rarely is the focus on how to create a unique brand. Only after the business appears to be on its feet do owners think about how to turn their business into a recognizable local brand. Choosing to pay attention to branding early on can have a significant impact on logos, insignias, and other business-related collateral.

MAKING YOUR BRAND CONSISTENT Consistency isn’t just about using brand colors and your logo in your marketing materials. It has

more to do with ensuring your brand difference, and design is constant and portrayed in every area of your business and especially your company culture.

Brand consistency means that when someone asks what your business stands for, you should be able to answer that by looking at it as a whole. The answer should resonate through everything that you do both personally and professionally.

CREATING A BRAND PERSONALITY AND VOICE A brand personality and voice should be visible on marketing materials, social media, and email newsletters, etc. Its voice should be heard through every employee in every conversation. It speaks of purpose, mission, and quality service delivery. It should be

an established personality combined with a distinctive, relatable voice, and able to create customer loyalty and referrals.

CREATIVITY ISSUES Creativity can be established in numerous ways, especially with the assistance of a professional branding and marketing agency to help guide you.

Many businesses suffer from creativity issues, but larger companies and brands have the advantage of being able to reach into

their coffers and create a solution.

Most business owners aren’t usually marketers, and to begin dominating the competition, they should consider outsourcing essential branding and

GAMER

FROM PAGE 4

AUTUMN NEAL/209 BUSINESS JOURNAL

Chris Chavez has a lot invested in the Gamer’s Garage and hopes it soon will be a community staple. Along with gaming services, he has a lot of experience in repairing computers and will soon start leading classes to teach gamers what he knows.

marketing initiatives. The right marketing agency can provide you with innovative and creative ways to solve these problems and set the stage for your business to successfully evolve into a recognizable brand.

Beth Devine is one of the most sought-after marketing experts in the Central Valley. She is the founder and principal of Devine Solutions Group, a multiple award-winning digital marketing headquartered in Tracy, CA. Connect with Beth by either calling 833-933-8463 or email her at beth@devinesolutionsgroup.com.

hour to game and there’s also other bundles included.

Chavez ultimately wants to assure gamers and parents alike that his business is a complete deal. For those gaming, he has a house account for 99 percent of games, snacks and drinks are available, and there’s high speed internet. He’s also starting overnight tournaments where gamers are locked into the space all night playing against each other for hours on end with pizza and soda provided.

As a parent, Chavez knows that the Gamers Garage is a great deal. Along with the great pricing – “I mean, it’s $12.50 for three hours, and they’ll have a good time ... they can play until 10 on a Friday, like go out and have dinner” – he also is implementing safety restrictions as well.

Chavez can set each individual system to lock out games that are rated “mature” and “18 and up” so parents can control what their kids are playing.

Along with all of this, he also has set up a Twitch station for gamers to stream at and has even had teachers utilize it for their classes.

Though the Gamers Garage doesn’t open up until 10 a.m., it is still school-friendly. With bundled hours and the ability to restrict computers to lock out games and just use platforms like Google Chrome and Zoom for school, it’s a safe place for students to get work done.

This is all just the beginning. Chavez soon hopes to start teaching classes on what goes into a computer, how they all work, and how to repair them to those gamers who are interested.

It’s a place for him to share his love for gaming and wealth of knowledge with new faces.

Overall, Chavez’s Gamers Garage is a timely new business for the region. For further information on pricing and any questions about hours, reserving the space for parties, or anything else, visit https://www.gamersgarageoakdale.com/ or call 214-9295.

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SEPTEMBER 2020

NEWS

The Central Valley’s software community helped accelerate my medical startup As a Stanford-trained, sports medicine specialist, I have been practicing orthopaedic surgery in Modesto for nearly 25 years.

Decades of experience in the operating room afforded me the opportunity to improve the surgical experience for doctors, staff and patients. However, as the Founder and CEO of ProcedureCard, Inc., I initially found it challenging to grow our healthcare technology startup in the Central Valley.

ProcedureCard has faced many obstacles in the software startup journey, but things began to change when I met a group of local techies at the Valley

Hackathon hosted at the ValleyWorx tech co-working space in Modesto. The Modesto/Stockton area has traditionally lacked experienced tech entrepreneurs and technology partners, but that is now changing rapidly thanks to Bay Valley Tech, Lamar Software and the tech ecosystem they are fostering. These companies and many others provide encouragement, experience and technical expertise, filling a need in our local entrepreneurial community. I used to travel quite frequently to Silicon Valley to build connections needed for ProcedureCard’s success, but now our software engineers, accounting, le-

LENITA WILLIAMSON M.D. FAAOS, FOUNDER, CEO PROCEDURECARD, INC.

gal, branding and marketing resources are all in the 209.

ProcedureCard is a software company based in Modesto that is solving a major problem in surgery.

This platform manages the surgical preference cards used by surgeons and operating room staff. Like a recipe card, ProcedureCard creates the surgeons’ lists of tools and instruments needed for surgery.

Every surgery is unique and each provider has a

special list of items that they need. For many facilities, these cards are not accurate. Many surgery centers still use index cards, pen and paper to keep up with the surgeons’ preferences. Over the years, this recurring problem was a source of frustration for the operative team. Creating ProcedureCard was a labor of love as our team created a software platform that solved a universal problem in surgery—inaccurate and inaccessible surgical preference cards.

Our app enables the surgical team to be safer and more efficient in the “new normal.” Our product offers a seamless comprehensive system that provides surgi-

cal teams access to surgical preference cards 24/7/365 on any connected device.

Now, the team can access, create, and most importantly, update cards in real time. With accurate cards, the team is better prepared for surgery. ProcedureCard improves supply chain management, saves time, money, minimizes waste and, most importantly, improves patient care.

ProcedureCard’s global customer base speaks to the universal problem our company solves.

As an advisor for Women Techmakers, a Google initiative, I now collaborate with the local tech community. ProcedureCard helps to nurture the growing and

diverse Modesto technology community.

With the help of our Central Valley tech community, ProcedureCard was recently noted as a “Top Ten Cloud-based Solution Provider for the Healthcare Industry – 2020.” Whether your business is a tech company or not, your team can benefit from the expertise of local techies, too.

For more information or to check out our product, visit: www.meetup. com/ValleyWorx-SoftwareDevelopers/ youtu.be/izr215xIiO0 Contact: info@ procedurecard.com Website: www.procedurecard. com

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11

NEWS

PROMOTIONS, APPOINTMENTS, HONORS, ETC. Mocse Credit Union appointments new President/ CEO

After 41 years of credit union service, Tracey Kerr, President/CEO of Mocse credit Union, announced her retirement effective Sept. 1.

“Tracey expertly served as President/CEO since 1999 and her accomplishments are too numerous to name. Her dedication to serving our members and communities has been unflagging. We offer our deepest gratitude for her service and wish Tracey and her family the very best in retirement,” stated Mocse Chairman Joy Mastache.

The Board of Directors is pleased to share that after an intensive search process, they selected Shane Saunders as Mocse’s next President/CEO. “In selecting a successor to our long-term and beloved President/CEO, the Board of Directors was anxious to identify a candidate that would provide a strong vision forward while furthering our unique memberoriented culture,” stated Mastache.

Saunders comes to Mocse with a 25 year history in the financial services industry and recently as the Chief Experience Officer for the past six years at Maps Credit Union in Salem, Oregon.

Mocse currently serves 26,413 members, holds over $343 million in assets, and serves the counties of Stanislaus, Tuolumne, Mariposa and Merced.

“We are confident that we made an excellent choice for Mocse, its’ members and our communities,” said Mastache. “Shane will bring vision, creativity and a respect for the culture we have developed here at Mocse. Shane is a hobby farmer and avid rock climber. We look forward to welcoming him and his wife Margarita into our Mocse family.”

MHD Group wins awards for Dust Bowl Brewery website, WinePeddler.com logo

MHD Group of Modesto was honored recently with design awards for a Turlock brewery’s website and a logo for a Modesto wine entrepreneur.

Dust Bowl Brewing Co. received the 2020 Gold Award for “Best Website” from the

Craft Beer Marketing Awards. Known as the “Crushies,” the awards recognize not only websites, but also the designs of bottles and cans of various sizes, packaging, logos, tap handles, tap rooms, videos and other marketing materials.

Dust Bowl’s website features photos and video from the company’s Turlock brewery and tap room as well as its brewpub in Monterey. Website visitors can learn about Dust Bowl’s many different beers and food offerings, its history and upcoming events. They also can place orders online.

“Congratulations to our web team for a crisp, refreshing take on brewery web design,” said Marcia Herrmann, owner and creative director for MHD Group.

The second award paid tribute to MHD Group’s logo for WinePeddler.com, an online company still in the start-up phase run

by Paul Tremayne, a local wine connoisseur and owner of Concetta’s Restaurant in downtown Modesto. Tremayne is known for riding his bicycle from home to work, and the logo features a man on a bike with a large wine bottle on his back and more bottles stacked in a basket behind the bicycle seat.

The WinePeddler.com logo will be featured in LogoLounge 12, a collection of creative designs from around the world. Only 3,000 logos were chosen to appear out of more than 40,000 entries. It is the largest logo competition in the world.

“We are proud that our work was recognized and we are thrilled to be included with some of the top design companies internationally,” Herrmann said.

MHD Group is a full-service agency that has served clients locally, nationally and internationally for more than three decades.

Based in downtown Modesto, it offers graphic and web design services; marketing, branding and advertising; social media and video; and public relations.

Tracy organizations benefit from United Way

United Way of San Joaquin County has announced six Tracy organizations have received a total of $145,000 of the nearly $1 Million in funding they received from an anonymous donor. The funds are part of the $6.6 million earmarked for United Way chapters in the Central Valley in support of COVID-19 relief and recovery programs.

McHenry House, Tracy Interfaith Ministries, Tracy Community Connections, the Tracy Boys & Girls Club, Sow A Seed Community Foundation, and Tracy Unified School District will all benefit from the

COVID-19 donation. Each organization is facing unprecedented challenges – and this funding is being utilized to provide food and basic household supplies, educational tools and projects for students, placing high risk COVID individuals in motels, as well as payroll and general operating expenses.

“Our involvement in Tracy, especially through our strong United Way Tracy Community Council, has helped us identify and fund these organizations who are being impacted by COVID-19,” said Kristen Birtwhistle, President and CEO of United Way of San Joaquin County. “We realize that across our County, non-profit organizations and educational programs are struggling with the added expenses due to COVID-19, as well as the need for financial support – since the opportunity to hold fundraising events has been cut short.”

As each organization has different concerns, it has been apparent that basic needs being covered by United Way have had the greatest impact. Food, hygiene products, gloves, masks and disinfecting items are high priority. All grateful for the assistance from United Way, the recipients shared how these funds have helped serve their communities.

“Boys and Girls Clubs of Tracy is grateful for the United Way’s donation for COVID-19 relief,” states Kelly Wilson, CEO. “The funds enabled us to continue our “Virtual” programming and provided food, books, school supplies and facemasks to hundreds of Club members and their families. The funds have also allowed us to keep our staff intact, staying connected to the kids & families through fun & educational daily zoom sessions and phone calls – to identify needs and connect them to resources.”

Carrie Grover, ED for Tracy Interfaith Ministries shared, “This money has allowed us to continue our mission to feed the hungry in Tracy. More specifically, we have used the funds to purchase blankets, peanut butter, milk, eggs, meat, beans, fresh produce, and hygiene products. We were also able to support our Families at Risk program, as well as provide 600 children with a new pair of shoes as they return to school. We are so thankful.”

“Tracy Unified School District is extremely thankful for the generous donation to our Food Service Department,” said Superintendent Brian Stephens. “It will used to improve our ability to provide meals to students during the pandemic. Students in Tracy are directly benefitting from the generosity of the United Way.”

“We are grateful to receive the donation from United Way. Right now,” said Rhodesia Ransom, Executive Director of Sow a Seed Community Foundation, “our youth need to know that they have people to turn to as they navigate the isolation and confusion while sheltered in place. This will help us expand our virtual wellness platform so more kids can reach our trained and caring staff.

“The gift from United Way has been a tremendous help in our mission to assist the homeless. We have been able to provide emergency housing to seventeen homeless individuals or families who were at a greater risk for Covid-19, and we also provided assistance for rents and PG&E bills due to a loss of income. The support from United Way is vital to being able to continue our mission,” states Jim Osborne, Executive Director, Tracy Community Connections Center.

“Monetary donations have been very low during this pandemic,” said Armenia Pereira, Director McHenry House Tracy, “This donation has helped with the general operation of the shelter, such as utilities, food, disinfecting items, gloves, masks, and disposable food serving. We are grateful for such a generous donation!

For further information contact: United Way of San Joaquin County 642-0725.

New Valley Air District board member appointed

The Valley Air District has welcomed its newest Governing Board member, Dr. Tania Pacheco-Werner, co-Assistant Director at Fresno State’s Central Valley Health Policy Institute. Pacheco-Werner was appointed

by Gov. Gavin Newsom to fill the Board’s vacant science position. The Sanger native has a PhD in sociology from the University of California, San Francisco.

The District’s Governing Board provides leadership and direction of air pollution control measures and is comprised of 15 members: eight Dr. Tania Pachecocounty supervisors Werner (one from each of the Valley’s eight counties), five city council members selected by the cities within the District, and two public members appointed by the Governor. The board ensures that implementation of state and federal air pollution mandates in the Valley is tailored to local conditions and responsive to local needs.

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SEPTEMBER 2020