Valley Briefs Jewish Home for the Aging to Expand The Jewish Home for the Aging plans a $52-million expansion of its Reseda-based Grancell Village campus. The not-for-profit group said last week that it would build a five-story, 137,000-square-foot residential medical center at the corner of Tampa Boulevard and Sherman Way. The center will also house a psychiatric unit, research labs and a physical therapy and treatment center. There will also be new teaching space for UCLA and USC schools of medicine in geriatric and psychiatric care, a computer center and beauty salon. Molly Forrest, the organization’s CEO, said the proposed facility will add 249 beds for senior citizens. The project is the first major expansion of the group’s two facilities. It operates a second campus in Reseda, dubbed Eisenberg Village. Combined, the two campuses have 800 beds for residents and serve an additional 300 drop-in seniors each year. “This isn’t just about making room for more beds,” said Forrest. “What we are doing with this new building is very cutting edge and on the forefront of designing facilities to care for the aging in the future.” Troika Raises $13 Million Westlake Village-based network and digital storage systems firm, Troika Networks Inc., has raised $13 million in its latest round of financing. The company said that its fourth round of financing was completed with the aid of existing investors Draper Fisher Jurvetson, Dynafund Ventures and Windward Ventures as well as new investor, Hamilton Apex Technology Ventures. The latest round of financing means the company has raised $68 million in total financing in the last three years, starting with a round of $41 million in 2000. The company was founded in 1998, and its customers are companies in communications, retailing, health care and energy. MRV Sells $23M in Bonds MRV Communications of Chatsworth said last week it completed the sale of $23 million in convertible notes to an undisclosed buyer. The five-year notes will carry a 5 percent interest rate with a fixed conversion price of $2.32 which is a 20 percent premium to the 10-day weighted average price. MRV, which last year lost $479.8 million on revenues of $252.5 million, said it will use the proceeds for general purposes and working capital. VICA Award Winners The Valley Industry and Commerce Association named Verizon as its 2003 recipient of the Robert E. Gibson Award for Excellence at the group’s annual “Excellence in Business Advocacy Awards” black-tie gala May 29th. Verizon’s Vice President-External Affairs, LaVerne G. Davis accepted the award on behalf of her company. VICA also handed out five additional awards to local business leaders. They are: Mel Kohn, Kirsch, Kohn & Bridge, LLP, for volunteer advocacy; Valley Community Clinic, for the not-for-profit category; Lever, Lippe, Hellie & Russell, LLP for small business; Airtel Plaza Hotel & Conference Center for large business; Martin M. Cooper, Cooper Communications, Inc., for VICA Volunteer.