Press Releases
DATE: April 18, 2008
TO: All News Media
Attention: Business/Calendar (Event Date: April 25)
PRESS RELEASE
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Michael Kraft, North Coast SBDC Executive Director, kraft@northcoastsbdc.org <mailto:kraft@northcoastsbdc.org>, 445-9720
Business Leaders Discuss Green Innovation - “Doing Well by Doing Green”
Arcata---On Friday, April 25th at the Jambalaya Restaurant in Arcata, business owners will gather for the quarterly Business Leader Luncheon. The April topic is, “Doing Good by Doing Green - can green innovations expand your business?” Panelists and attendees will consider the challenges and rewards of advancing green technologies. Local business owners are invited to attend.
Don Ehnebuske of Almquist Lumber, Matt Schmit of the Tofu Shop, and Ian Caliendo of PG&E will share their observations from within businesses that have embraced “green-ness.” Michael Kraft, Executive Director of the North Coast Small Business Development Center will facilitate the panel. “I’m convinced that we have to get past the environment vs. economy debate to the greatest extent we can,” says Kraft. “It’s pretty last century. These are companies that have made real improvements in conservation and, by doing so, have improved their business.”
Almquist Lumber started in Blue Lake more than 25 years ago and recently expanded to a 50,000 square foot site on Boyd Road in Arcata. General Manager, Don Ehnebuske, explains the company’s green leanings, “Almquist Lumber Company is the only local lumber retailer certified by FSC, the Forest Stewardship Council, to sell wood from certified sustainable harvests around the world. But we are also convinced that locally produced materials are often inherently more green than products that need to be shipped from far off whether they are certified or not. We offer locally and regionally produced materials, much of it milled right here at Almquist, that compliment some of our more exotic building materials. Almquist is focused on circulating dollars locally: we buy local, we sell local and that in itself helps the environment and our economy."
Tofu Shop Specialty Foods, Inc. based in the Arcata Aldergrove Business Park makes fine organic soy products that are consumed throughout California and Oregon. Founded by Matt Schmit in 1981, the Tofu Shop has 21 employees and diverts 99.1% of its waste. The Tofu Shop has won numerous awards for waste reduction and discards only one garbage can each week; everything else is reused, donated or recycled. Tofu Shop's products are sold in recyclable containers, and some items are offered in bulk with reusable packaging. Surplus product is donated to the Arcata Food Endeavor. Furthermore, the Tofu Shop gives soybean pulp to local ranchers as animal feed. The Tofu Shop diverts over 240,000 pounds of waste each year and saves thousands of dollars annually through waste diversion.
The Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) is the utility that provides natural gas and electricity to most of Northern California. Since 2004, PG&E has aggressively embraced conservation and green technologies with rebate programs, compact fluorescent bulb giveaways, renewable energy education and more. Local PG&E representative Ian Caliendo will be on hand to describe new and existing PG&E programs that help businesses save on energy bills. He will also briefly address PG&E’s local wave energy plans and the environmental improvements embedded in PG&E’s new plant construction plans in Field’s Landing.
Business owners are encouraged to sign up for the Business Leader Luncheon at www.NorthCoastProsperity.com/luncheons <http://www.NorthCoastProsperity.com/luncheons>, or call 445-7745. The lunch will be held at Jambalaya in Arcata, from Noon to 2pm and is sponsored by the Prosperity Network.
What: Business Leader Luncheon hosted by the Prosperity Network
When: Friday, April 25th
Where: Jambalaya Restaurant - 915 H Street, Arcata
Time: 12:00pm - 2:00pm
Cost: $30.00, RSVP and payment is required prior to the event
Learn more and Register at www.NorthCoastProsperity.com/luncheons <http://www.northcoastprosperity.com/luncheons>
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Date: March 12, 2008
To All News Media
Press Release
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: Paula Mushrush, 445-7745, pmushrush@co.humboldt.ca.us
Housing Summit held on Friday, March 14th in Eureka
Eureka, CA—Housing Summit 2008 will take place this Friday, March 14, 2008, from 8:30am to 5:00pm at the Red Lion Inn in Eureka. Developers, lenders, consultants, cities and counties will find new ways to increase a variety of housing options available for local residents.
Keynote speaker, Jon Haveman, of Beacon Economics, will address emerging economic and demographic trends in the California housing market and economy, and will analyze the implications for the North Coast.
Eight different workshops will explore issues that affect housing and focus on specific opportunities to design and fund workforce, senior and specialty housing. Workshops include: Selling to First Time Homebuyers, The Planning Process and Getting Entitlements, Green Building in Affordable Housing, Affordable Housing in Subdivisions, Local Affordable Housing Trust Fund, Funding Alternatives and Putting a Deal Together, and Affordable Efficiency Units.
“When you compare what people are earning and how much people are paying for rent, you know that workforce housing is a great need,” explained Paula Mushrush, summit organizer and Housing & Grants Coordinator for the County of Humboldt.
Organizers hope that this Summit will stimulate solutions and action to address the housing needs of our community.
Please register at www.NorthCoastProsperity.com/housing or by calling the Humboldt County Economic Development Division at 445-7745. $25 includes all Summit activities and lunch. Limited registration is available at the door on Friday.
The Housing Summit 2008 is sponsored by Wells Fargo, The McLean Foundation, County of Humboldt Economic Development Division, Umpqua Bank, City of Fortuna, City of Arcata, City of Eureka, Humboldt Association of Realtors and Briton Mortgage.
Date: February 14, 2008
To; All News Media
PRESS RELEASE
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Jacqueline Debets, 445-7747, jdebets@co.humboldt.ca.us
Local Import and Export Businesses are encouraged to Submit Survey
Eureka—The Economic Development Division of the County of Humboldt has posted two short surveys to gather information regarding the economic impact of STAA trucking restrictions along Highway 101 at Richardson Grove. Business owners who import or export products to the North Coast are encouraged to take the survey. The survey is available at www.NorthCoastProsperity.com
This information will be used to inform the public, survey respondents and affiliated governmental agencies about impacts of current restrictions on local Humboldt and Del Norte businesses. All information will be reported as a whole.
Jacqueline Debets, Coordinator of Economic Development for the County of Humboldt states, “We expect the resolution of STAA restrictions to support local entrepreneurs whose businesses depend on the import and export of goods. The cost of on-loading and off-loading cargo to move through our region puts our businesses at a disadvantage in the marketplace. The goal of this survey is for us to further understand the economic disadvantage and how the STAA restrictions may be affecting our whole economy as a region.”
Find the survey at www.NorthCoastProsperity.com. For more information, call 476-4813.
Learn more about the local economy at www.NorthCoastProsperity.com.
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DATE: January 17, 2008
TO: All News Media
PRESS RELEASE
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Jacqueline Debets, 445-7747, jdebets@co.humboldt.ca.us
Business Leaders Discuss Highway Access
Eureka---On Friday, January 25th business owners will gather at the quarterly Business Leader Luncheon to address restrictions on goods movement on Highway 101.
Caltrans Project Manager, Kim Floyd, will present a plan for a minor realignment of Highway 101 through Richardson Grove. Currently, the configuration of the road does not meet STAA limits for standard trucks, and requires businesses to transport their products with smaller trucks and then to re-load to the standard truck for delivery into the marketplace.
This project could relieve the last bottleneck on highway 101, a restriction that dramatically increases costs for local businesses importing and exporting goods into Humboldt, Del Norte and Trinity counties.
Business owners will share how the restrictions affect the health of their businesses.
"We understand that the minor realignment will not touch any redwood trees in this important grove of ancient trees, and it will relieve a major constraint on our economy's health," said County Economic Development Coordinator, Jacqueline Debets, who will present survey data from local businesses affected by the restriction.
Business owners are encouraged to sign up for the Business Leader Luncheon at www.NorthCoastProsperity.com, or call 476-4813. The lunch will be held at Avalon Restaurant in Old Town Eureka, from Noon to 2pm and is sponsored by the Prosperity Network.
What: Business Leader Luncheon
When: Friday, January 25th
Where: Avalon Restaurant, 3rd & G - Old Town Eureka T
Time: 12:00pm - 2:00pm
Cost: $35.00, RSVP and payment is required prior to the event
Register at www.NorthCoastProsperity.com/luncheons. For more information, call 476-4813.
Business leader luncheons are held on the last Fridays of April, July, and October. Learn more online at www.NorthCoastProsperity.com.
For Immediate Release
Relevant Dates: Current thru October 26th
Press Contact: Maggie Gainer, Humboldt State Econ Dev Contact: Maggie Gainer, 707-826-3922, Email:gainer@humboldt.edu
County of Humboldt Economic Dev Contact: Jacqueline Debets, 707-445-7747, Email: jdebets@co.humboldt.ca.us
October 26th - Business Leader Luncheon, For Business Owners and Entrepreneurs
Share business stories, learn new strategies, and meet other business leaders.
“Specialization: Innovation. Business Leaders focus on Targets of Opportunity”
SUMMARY: On Friday, October 26th from 12 pm until 2pm, the Humboldt State University Office for Community and Economic Development and the Prosperity Network invite business leaders to engage in a panel presentation about innovation and targets of opportunity, the next phase of understanding for economic development of the Redwood Region of California. The panel will feature three local business people who have overcome the obstacles of doing business in rural Humboldt County and have established their lead in national and international markets. Cost is $40. Pre-registration is required. Call 4476-4808 or register online at www.northcoastprosperity.com.
Topic: “Specialization: Innovation. Business Leaders focus on Targets of Opportunity. “
When: Friday, October 26th, 2007
Where: Avalon Restaurant, 3rd & G Streets, Eureka
Time: Noon to 2pm
Cost: $40.00. Payment is required prior to the event.
Register: www.northcoastprosperity.com or call 707-476-4808 /or email salcaraz@co.humboldt.ca.us.
What do marimbas, security systems, and emergency response software have in common? These are products made by innovative local companies that are seizing opportunities for growth.
Join this discussion on how North Coast businesses are overcoming obstacles of geography and distance, finding new talent, pursuing their dreams, and establishing their lead in national and international markets.
PANELISTS:
Marimba One owner, Ron Samuels, and his team of master artisans are doing for the marimba what Stradivari has done for the violin. Their locally-made marimbas are used at major universities and symphony halls around the world.
Scott Joachim is Managing Director of C4i Security, LLC, specializing in IT consulting, casino security networks and local wireless expansion. This young Eureka firm has been a partner in bringing you convenient internet connection at the Airport.
Cedar Reuben is General Manager/CEO of Healthware Solutions, a software development firm for the emergency medical field. A leader in their national market, Healthware Solutions creates software for ambulance services, fire rescue, and first responders across the U.S.
Maggie Gainer, Director of the Humboldt State Office for Economic & Community Development will moderate the panel discussion and encourage audience participation.
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