SanLuisObispo.com: Business

Biz Buzz: Entry-level homes more affordable

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 22:31 PST

One day after a study ranked the San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles region as the second priciest in the nation for housing — behind New York -— the California Association of Realtors has released data showing that 38 percent of county households can now afford to buy an entry-level home.

That figure is up from 20 percent of San Luis Obispo County households in the third quarter of 2007, according to the association. To purchase a home at the entry-level price of $356,120, a county household would have to have a minimum qualifying income of $69,300. The figure of $356,120 represents 85 percent of the county’s prevailing median price, the level at which most first-time buyers purchase a home.

While the increased affordability represents an improvement from last year — bringing home prices more in line with household incomes — the figures confirm what others have said about the lack of work force housing on the Central Coast. The county is the second least affordable in California behind the San Francisco Bay Area, where 35 percent of households could afford an entry-level home in the third quarter. The most affordable area in the state was the High Desert region at 73 percent.

Biz Buzz: SLO Chamber presents Green Awards for local businesses

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 07:55 PST

Six organizations have been honored with the first San Luis Obispo County Green Awards, as sponsored by the San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce.

The awards recognize those who have taken exemplary steps to be “environmentally friendly,” including reducing pollution, conserving resources and improving water and air quality, according to a news release issued by the chamber.

The winners were chosen from more than 50 nominations by judges representing the chamber, San Luis Obispo city and county agencies, and environmental groups.

Biz Buzz: K-Life honors community

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 09:31 PST

K-Life Radio has announced the winners of its first San Luis Obispo County Community Impact Awards. The recipients were chosen for their efforts to significantly advance the quality of life in the county. The winners are Betsy Ehrler, as outstanding volunteer; Dan and Scott Pace, outstanding philanthropists; Trilogy Central Coast, outstanding business; and Family Care Network, outstanding nonprofit organization.

Ehrler is being honored for her volunteer service as president of the South County’s People’s Kitchen. The Pace brothers are recognized for their philanthropy, especially on youth projects such as organizing the Condors youth soccer team, which diverts boys from criminal activity to build them into leaders.

Nipomo’s Trilogy Central Coast is honored for its sponsorship of the arts, including the Clark Center Association, San Luis Obispo Symphony and Cal Poly Arts. Its fund-raising efforts for the American Cancer Society Relay for Life and the San Luis Obispo Law Enforcement Assistance Association were also recognized.

Central Coast Tech: Genealogical Society offers computer class to help find your roots

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 22:52 PST

By Dan Logan -- On Friday, the San Luis Obispo County Genealogical Society is running a class dubbed “Getting the Most out of Family Search and the www.familysearchlabs.org Beta Site.”

This class demonstrates how to access the free online databases at the Family Search Web site, www.familysearch.org.

The class will be held at the KCBX Training Center, 4100 Vachell Lane in San Luis Obispo from 1 to 2:30 p.m.

Biz Buzz: Music stops at Morro Bay Music Box Co.

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 22:56 PST

The Morro Bay Music Box Co., a retail shop on the Embarcadero, will close next month, ending its 20-year presence in the seaside town.

Owner Victor Graziano will close the 500-square-foot store, which sells music boxes and musical clocks in the Marina Square shopping development, after the holidays. The reason? Graziano says it is time to retire.

His sole employee was let go last month, he said.

Biz Buzz: Santa Lucia Bancorp chief to retire at year’s end

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 22:58 PST

Larry Putnam, president and chief executive officer of Santa Lucia Bancorp, is retiring at the end of this year.

Putnam, 62, made the announcement to employees last week, although he had initiated discussions about a succession plan several years ago. Putnam has been with the Atascadero-based bank for more than 23 years, and has worked in the banking business since 1968. Now he

wants to spend more time with family, travel and play golf.

Biz Buzz: SLO kitchen and fireplace shop reopens after retrofit

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 07:48 PST

Forden’s, a longtime kitchen and fireplace company with a shop in downtown San Luis Obispo, recently returned to its 1930s building at 857 Monterey St. after completing a six-month retrofit and remodel.

The business, established in 1939, updated its 6,000- square-foot showroom by refinishing the building’s original floors, rearranging the displays and adding working fireplaces.

Forden’s, which started as a hardware store and revised its business model over the years, has been in the current building since 1950, said co-owner Dean Moore, who owns the business with partners Gary Smee and Kevin Moore, his son.

Biz Buzz: Wilkins of Paso Robles cuts 17 workers, citing downturn

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 07:32 PST

Wilkins, a Paso Robles-based firm that makes water control products, cut its workforce this week, a company spokeswoman said.

Seventeen employees lost their jobs Monday, said Karen Schwenke, vice president of corporate marketing for Rexnord, Wilkins’ Milwaukee-based parent company. Schwenke did not say what positions were eliminated.

This is the first time since the early 1990s that the company has had to shed jobs, and it’s a result of the economic downturn, she said.

Barry VanderKelen: Nonprofits deal with bad economic times

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 07:31 PST

The state Legislature is trying to fix an $11.2 billion gap in the budget. For many local nonprofit groups, this means additional reductions in programs and services.

“We are all a little staggered that the state budget just passed and it was so far off the mark,” Grace MacIntosh said.

MacIntosh is co-chair of the United Way’s Agency Advisory Committee, a group of nonprofit organizations that receive funding from the United Way. She is also executive director of the San Luis Obispo County Chapter of the American Red Cross.

Biz Buzz: Event helps tech firms find funds

Wed, 12 Nov 2008 08:49 PST

TekTegrity, a San Luis Obispo computer service firm, took the top prize for its overall business pitch at a recent high-tech venture capital roundup event, co-hosted by the Economic Vitality Corp. of San Luis Obispo County and Softec in Pismo Beach.

The purpose of the first-ever roundup dinner event was to help local entrepreneurs pitch their ideas and find funding for their technology-based companies.

The event drew more than 100 investors, entrepreneurs and industry leaders for a night that included keynote speaker and event judge Jo Anne Miller of Milk Street Ventures.

Biz Buzz: Key SLO County employer expands company

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 07:34 PST

A top employer in San Luis Obispo County has received approval from the Paso Robles City Council to expand its company.

Specialty Silicone Fabricators Inc. — No. 18 of The Tribune’s Top 20 Private Employers, with about 220 employees— received the go-ahead in October to extend its lease to build a 100,000-square-foot manufacturing facility on city-owned land at Paso Robles Municipal Airport.

The expansion will allow the medical device company to consolidate its operations into one building and better organize its people and equipment, marketing manager Paul Maslin said.

Biz Buzz: Pismo planners give green light to commercial, residential project

Fri, 07 Nov 2008 08:45 PST

A proposed development for one of the last remaining large pieces of land zoned for commercial use in Pismo Beach has been given the go-ahead by the city’s Planning Commission.

The development would include 57,000 square feet of commercial space and 75,000 square feet of residential space on a 10.6-acre property off Oak Park Boulevard, north of Highway 101.

Plans by owner and South County resident Robert Baker call for five single-family homes, one 20-unit apartment complex, five duplexes, three office buildings, two commercial-retail buildings, a restaurant and 311 parking spaces.

Biz Buzz: Private Industry Council names interim president

Thu, 06 Nov 2008 07:47 PST

Private Industry Council Program Manager Grant Nielson has been appointed as interim president of the organization while longtime President Lee Ferrero takes leave for medical reasons.

As program manager, Nielson was in charge of the organization’s day-to-day operations, according to an announcement by the nonprofit group on Wednesday.

He has also been the Private Industry Council’s youth pro-gram coordinator and employment counselor.

Biz Buzz: Oceano business grows out of flooding

Tue, 04 Nov 2008 22:22 PST

The Oceano Nursery — an antiques, arts, gifts and plants store — has reopened as Oceano Stone Co., according to owner Bill Bookout.

He said the store at 1311 Paso Robles St. now carries a large selection of stone, drought-tolerant succulents and cactus. The landscape rock company also designs and installs stone water fountains.

Bookout is changing his business to a stone company because stones don’t damage as easily in floods, which have hit his business hard in recent years. Bookout has sold stones at his nursery in the past and recently decided to concentrate on that portion of his business.

Biz Buzz: Nike to open store in Pismo Beach’s Prime Outlets

Tue, 04 Nov 2008 01:02 PST

A Nike store will open at the Prime Outlets in Pismo Beach in February, said Joseph Scott, general manager of the shopping center.

The well-known athletic gear and accessories company represents the brand-name recognition Scott hopes to bring to the center.

“It’s a strategic plan to upgrade the merchandising at the shopping center,” said Scott, who referred to the recent opening of a Calvin Klein store and Gymboree.

Follow-up File: Going afield into organic fruits, veggies

Sat, 01 Nov 2008 00:28 PDT

By Raven Railey -- Name: John Salisbury

Job: Co-owner

Business: Salisbury

Biz Buzz: Founder of the Wallace Group to step down as CEO

Fri, 31 Oct 2008 21:49 PDT

After 25 years, John Wallace, founder of the Wallace Group, is stepping down as chief executive officer and assuming a new role at the San Luis Obispo-based firm that will allow him to focus more on the firm’s strategic planning.

The change is effective Jan. 1.

The company specializes in a variety of disciplines, including civil engineering, planning, construction management and water resources.

Nonprofit Strategies: Nonprofits in need of volunteers

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 10:37 PST

By Barry VanderKelen -- Many nonprofit organizations are responding to increasing requests for services and programs by using more volunteers.

A recent report from the Corporation for National and Community Service, "Volunteering in America" -- www.volunteeringinamerica.gov--suggests recruiting and retaining volunteers is becoming more difficult.

One of the major findings of the report is that one out of three people who volunteered in 2006 did not in 2007.

Follow-up File: Big Images grows Web sales, expands

Sat, 25 Oct 2008 23:49 PDT

A weekly update on the plans and promises made by local businesses

Name: Jon Beebe

Job: Co-owner

Nonprofit Strategies: As consumer confidence declines, so do donations

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 11:53 PST

By Barry VanderKelen -- The fourth quarter of the calendar year is the most important quarter for nonprofit organizations.

Thanksgiving, Christmas and the end of the tax year make this the time many people make donations.

Unfortunately, the outlook for this year is not rosy.