BANKS SHOULD BE ALLIES, RESOURCES WHEN NAVIGATING ENTREPRENEURIAL WATERS by Kristine Chung When Christopher Columbus set out to find the New World, his fleet of three ships, instead of just one, greatly improved his chances for success. Like Columbus, today’s inspired entrepreneurs increase their chances for success when they too, bring along three sound ships — their accountant, attorney and business banker — instead of heading out into uncharted waters alone. Of the three, the business banker may be the most important. Like a ship, a bank must be solid, stable and financially seaworthy. But for the owner of a small- to mid-size business, the right bank must be capable of understanding the entrepreneur’s short- and long-term needs. Most importantly, it must be an advisor; an industry expert with in-depth market knowledge and a keen sense of the business’ strategies and goals. In today’s fast-paced business world, it is not enough that a bank merely offer a wide array of products and services. To be effective, a business banker should be able to anticipate its clients’ future financial needs and suggest solutions to help meet those needs. City National Bank is that kind of financial institution. And, with 33 branches located throughout the five-county area of Southern California and $4.7 billion in assets, City National is also uniquely qualified to meet the needs of local entrepreneurs and businesses. For example, the bane of many cyclical businesses is cash flow — or a lack thereof. Seasonal swings in sales can create a never-ending cycle of scrambling for receivables while payables mount-up. However, a solid business bank like City National can provide advanced cash management technology to stop this perpetual cycle and actually enhance the bottom line. How? By giving you control of your cash flow instead of letting your cash flow control you. Relationship managers at City National are adept at providing cash flow solutions that reduce administrative burdens while making capital work harder. Cash management solutions can include services that accelerate deposits, control payments and maximize investments. City National’s superior cash management systems also provide remote account access to detailed balance and transaction information and enable businesses to monitor checks paid activity, transfer funds, request stop payments and simplify account reconciliation. Additionally, Automated Clearing House (ACH) services allow for swift debit and credit transactions as well as facilitating direct deposits for employee payroll. Just as important as managing cash flow is attracting and retaining key employees. So it is imperative that competitive businesses offer a competitive benefits package to keep workers from jumping ship, or to entice them to come aboard. Yet the complexities of managing even a small retirement plan can be daunting. Here again, City National can recommend a solution that’s the right fit for any given business — 401(k) plans, IRAs and IRA Rollovers, SEPs and Keoghs. Full service 401(k) programs are available that offer a large selection of investment options including mutual funds that are invested in stocks, bonds and other short-term vehicles. The bank’s 401(k) plans include direct telephone access to account information and easy to understand employee communications for participant enrollment and education. Indeed, plan support is just as important as the plan itself. Instead of offering a one-size-fits-all business loan, City National is well-equipped to provide a number of custom-tailored lending solutions for today’s entrepreneurial businesses. For example, many closely held businesses are eligible to qualify for Small Business Administration (SBA)-sponsored loan programs. A loan officer who is well versed in the intricacies of the SBA can prove invaluable in finding the right loan. Businesses in the Los Angeles area owned by women and minorities can take advantage of a new SBA pilot program, The Women and Minority Pre-qualification Loan Program. Designed to help eligible small businesses access capital through the coordinated efforts of both the public and private sector, this program uses local, private sector organizations as intermediaries to assist in the loan process. City National Bank, an SBA preferred lender and supporter of the pilot program, has established a partnership with the East Los Angeles Small Business Development Corporation (SBDC) to assist borrowers in drafting a viable loan application. The prospective borrower initially seeks counsel from an SBA loan officer at the bank, who then refers the borrower to the SBDC for assistance in filling out and submitting the loan application directly to the SBA for expedited consideration. Once approved, the borrower works directly with the bank. What else can a financial institution like City National provide? The list goes on. Personal investment management, including retirement planning, personal trusts and estate administration; international banking, including trade financing, foreign exchange services and foreign credit; and specialized industry lending are all part of the bank’s repertoire. Most importantly, City National’s associates recommend and manage the products and services that are best suited to meet a business’s individual needs. And they do so without being asked. As every entrepreneur knows, heading into unexplored waters can, indeed, be risky. But with the right crew along to help navigate, the rewards can be immense. Just ask Columbus. Kristine Chung serves as senior vice president/manager of the Small Business Administration Lending Department at City National Bank’s Pershing Square office, (213) 347-2433.

BUSINESS COACHING: A KEY TO BALANCE AND SUCCESS Dee Helfgott, M.P.A. If you’re like so many others, there are times when you feel that your life is out of control and the word “balance” applies only to your checkbook (if you’re lucky), not to your life! Or you’re bursting with ideas for business opportunities or career transitions, but having a difficult time focusing. Or, you know exactly what you need to do, but you’re facing obstacles or distractions and you’re just not doing it! Sound familiar? If so, you might consider joining an ever-increasing number of people who are working with a coach. Your coach helps you clarify your professional and personal vision and goals; channel your talents and energies into ongoing effective action; work through or remove obstacles and distractions; increase your financial well-being; and make changes to achieve a more balanced and fulfilled life…in other words, get positive results! So what is this phenomena? Beyond being the current buzz word in the business world, coaching, as defined by the Professional and Personal Coaches Association, (PCP) is: “An ongoing relationship which focuses on the client taking action toward the realization of their vision, goals or desires. Coaching uses a process of inquiry and personal discovery to build the client’s level of awareness and responsibility, and provides the client with structure, support and feedback.” Laura Whitworth, Director of The Coaches Training Institute, predicts that, “Coaching, in the next decade, will change the world and impact almost everyone, in that it will change the paradigm in which people look at their lives and the way they live their lives. Coaches are part mentor, cheerleader, anchor and catalyst for change. Thomas Leonard, founder of Coach University, says, “What having a personal trainer is to your body, having a personal coach can be to your mind.” Unlike family members and friends, coaches are able to be more direct and serve as objective sounding boards for their clients. The ideal coach is a good listener, intuitive, and patient; offers encouragement; and has integrity and credibility. Coming from a variety of disciplines, coaches are often business, management or marketing consultants; executives; clergy, attorneys and accountants; therapists and other health professionals. The coaching model uses the process of non-judgmental inquiry, rather than instruction, as its core tool. Coaching sessions typically begin with a 2 to 3 hour intake procedure, followed by four one-half hour telecoaching sessions a month. Clients remain with coaches on an average of 9 to 12 months. Knowing that changes don’t occur overnight, many coaches ask clients for at least a 3 to 6 month commitment. Fees range from about $150-$500 per month. While some coaches specialize in working with specific groups, such as entrepreneurs, people in transition, parents; or particular industries like entertainment or technology; others remain generalists. Some coaches provide in-house corporate coaching programs for managers, training them to use the coaching model with their staff. Coaching offers individual or corporate clients a powerful tool for maximizing performance and bringing more balance into their lives. This dynamic partnership between client and coach provides both partners a sense of satisfaction and fulfillment. For further information or questions about coaching, please call Dee Helfgott at (310) 839-0638 or e-mail [email protected]. Helfgott is a business and professional coach, helping clients clarify goals, move forward to reach those goals and bring balance into their lives. She is a speaker and author of NETWORK SMART!

ValleyFastTrack/w/spotlight/1stjc/32inches/mark2nd By WADE DANIELS Contributing Reporter A few years ago, Calabasas-based game software publisher THQ Inc. looked like a goner, losing tens of millions of dollars by over-producing often subpar games for Sega and Nintendo machines alongside better selling competitors. Founded as a toy maker in 1990, with the aim of capitalizing on licensing from popular movies, THQ lost $30 million in 1993 and 1994. During those sour times, THQ concentrated on the second generation of home video games, called 16-bit systems after the size of their processors. But when chief operating officer Brian J. Farrell was elevated to CEO in January of 1995, he saw the company’s salvation in making games for a product the industry was leaving behind but which were in millions of homes Nintendo’s hand-held Game Boy. “Everybody had walked away from Game Boy, and I said, ‘Wait a minute, there’s about 11 or 12 million of those sold in the U.S. and probably a likewise number in Europe, so let’s get the best possible titles so we can dominate the market,” said Farrell. THQ set about gathering licenses to make GameBoy versions of popular games such as John Madden Football, FIFA Soccer and NHL Hockey being produced by its competitors solely for console systems. Revenues rebounded sharply. “Our competitors were getting revenue from products they weren’t exploiting, and we were getting revenue and cash flow to keep the company going and from an already proven product,” said Farrell, who formerly worked as a CPA with Deloitte and Touche LLP and then in real estate investment. He joined THQ in 1990 as its chief financial officer, was promoted to chief operating officer in 1993 and then to CEO in 1995. “I say in jest that as the company did worse and worse they gave me more and more responsibility,” he said. Another problem for THQ (the name stands for Toy Headquarters) was that it overproduced its games in anticipation of huge sales, often saddling the company with large unsold inventory and the associated losses. To correct that, Farrell has instituted an inventory policy whereby games are manufactured in limited quantities as needed rather than by the hundreds of thousands all at once. “So (nowadays) even if I think we ought to ship 100,000 units of product X, that’s not what we order. Our sales department comes with a forecast based retailer by retailer,” Farrell said. The publicly traded company has climbed out of a 1994 net loss of $17.5 million to net income of $601,000 for 1995 and $1.9 million for 1996. The company projects a net income of nearly $2.8 million for 1997. In February, THQ completed its second stock offering, selling 1.5 million shares and earmarking the $11.5 million it raised for product development. Farrell cited poor product development as another reason why the company did so poorly before he took over. He explained that the company first learned its lesson about game quality through its experience with the industry switch from 8-bit to 16-bit games in the early 1990s. Before the switch, an 8-bit game’s success was practically ensured through the licensing of a popular movie or sports figure, as THQ did with Gretsky Hockey and Home Alone. But when 16-bit games were introduced in the early 1990s and possibilities for graphic and conceptual creativity expanded, “the difference between a good game and an okay game were much more discernible.” THQ’s downfall was that it continued to focus on rushing the games to market while its competitors were spending more time developing their games. “THQ has definitely come back from the brink and beyond, doing a good job of licensing 16-bit games for the hand-held units,” said Jason McGruder, an analyst with Jeffries & Co. Inc. “They should have strong earnings over the next couple of years,” McGruder said. “One problem they might face is Sony and Nintendo’s recent lowering of the price of their machines (from $199 to $149) and what that might mean for people moving to those (machines) and away from Game Boy.” Farrell said he knows better than to rely on the Game Boy niche for the company’s continued success. “This is a hits-driven business, and you’ve got to build a base revenue of lower risk products in our case the Game Boy games on which you build the hits,” he said. To this end, THQ is developing games for “next generation” play stations, namely the Nintendo 64 and 32-bit Sony Playstation. Farrell said that before THQ will produce a game for a play system, the product must have a large enough “installed” base of users to help insure against a flop. “We don’t think it’s so important to be first on a system but wait to see if there’s going to be a meaningful installed base,” he said. “When we launch games for Nintendo 64 later this year, it will be a year late but then again there will be the game consoles out there to use them.” Snapshot THQ, Inc. Year founded: 1990 Core business: Developer, publisher and distributor of entertainment software, primarily for hand-held and console systems by the likes of Nintendo, Sega and Sony. Employees in 1994: 40 (worldwide) Employees in 1997: 55 (worldwide) Revenues in 1994: $13.3 million Revenues in 1996: $47.2 million Net Income in 1994: ($17.4 million) Net Income in 1996: $1.6 million Top executive: Brian J. Farrell, 42, President and CEO Goal: To become the leading provider of exciting, high-quality interactive entertainment software that appeals to to a broad range of consumers for use on a variety of platforms.

CSUN/21″/1stjc/mark2nd By JULIE SABLE Staff Reporter A proposed $25 million upscale retail center on 20 acres of unused land on the campus of Cal State Northridge is drawing fire from local merchants who claim the development is an inappropriate use of state-owned land. The 220,000-square-foot University MarketCenter is slated for development on Devonshire Downs, a former fairgrounds site between Zelzah and Lindley avenues. The center is expected to provide 300 jobs and become a cornerstone for development of the remaining 45-acres of vacant land. University officials say the project will bring in about $1 million for the university in lease revenues and $1.25 million in local sales taxes. Those funds would then be used to provide on-site educational programs as well as job experience for students. “Education programs would be funded by this project, which calls for a combination of public and private partnerships,” said Frank Wein, facilities director of CSUN’s North Campus. During a public hearing last month, opponents voiced concerns over additional traffic that would be generated by the development concerns that Wein said have been addressed by widening four of six affected intersections and adding traffic lights. But opponents are not just worried about the increased traffic they’re worried about losing business. And because the state would be effectively subsidizing the development by providing the land, they say the new project will provide unfair competition. “Business owners are still feeling the effects of the devastating 1994 earthquake and many have not yet rebounded from the effect it had on Northridge,” said Dick Hardman, executive director of the Northridge Chamber of Commerce. “This project will be direct competition to an already struggling retail environment.” Instead of building new retail in an area where many store owners are struggling, chamber officials would prefer the university develop something that conforms more closely to its academic mission. “Let the laws of supply and demand dictate whether we need more retail,” said Northridge Pharmacy owner Barry Pascal. “If you go out and take a look at all of the vacant buildings and businesses in the area, you will have your answer.” Pascal would rather see the university develop a “farm team” for the entertainment industry by building production studios. “With backing from a big entertainment company, the university could build sound studios and computer labs for animation that would be used by the production studios and students as well,” Pascal said. According to a recently completed evironmental impact report, the center will not compete with other merchants in the area because the retail spaces would range from over 20,000 square feet to 40,000 square feet. Many of the existing retail and businesses in that area are in the 1,500-to2,500-square-foot range. “The demand for retail space for larger retailers cannot be met by other retail centers already in the area nor can the demand be satisfied by other proposed or pending projects in the community,” Wein said. Gerald Curry, past president of United Chambers of Commerce, an alliance of 23 Valley-area Chambers of Commerce, called the vacant area an eyesore. “Businesses should support reasonable development in general,” said Curry, a Canoga Park attorney. “The MarketCenter is an attractive project that is clearly well-designed and well-drafted.” The project calls for a long-term lease of the site to the project’s private developers, Cousins Market Centers Inc. and Hopkins Real Estate Group, both from Newport Beach. Los Angeles Councilman Hal Bernson, who represents Northridge, has not taken a formal position on the project but is concerned about the impact on neighboring merchants, said assistant chief of staff Francine Oschin. “The councilman wants to make sure that the community is protected and that the MarketCenter does not have an adverse effect on other businesses in the area,” she said. The public comment period ends April 14. University officials hope to win approval from the California State University Board of Trustees this summer, and approvals by the city of Los Angeles this fall. If the approvals are granted, construction could begin at the end of the year with completion in late 1998, Wein said.

bids/kanter/13 inches/1stjc/mark2nd By LARRY KANTER Staff Reporter Fueled with seed money from the city of Los Angeles, the organizers of 10 San Fernando Valley-based business improvement districts are engaged in intensive lobbying efforts to generate support among local business-people. Such districts, known as BIDs, are self-assessment zones in which business- and/or property-owners tax themselves to pay for local street improvements or marketing campaigns. In an era of over-burdened and cash-strapped city governments, BIDs have become a popular way to fund services that municipalities no longer are able to perform, such as street-cleaning and grafitti-removal. Ten Valley business districts have received between $65,000 and $75,000 from the city’s Community Development Department to hire consultants to study the feasibility of forming a BID. “We’re spending a lot of time with the community and property-owners, asking their opinions about what they think is best for business and how much they’re willing to pay for it,” said Donald Duckworth, a consultant whose Arcadia-based firm, Citygate Associates, is shepherding property-based BIDs in Studio City, Tarzana, Granada Hills and Canoga Park. Other districts are being formed in Northridge, Chatsworth, Reseda, Woodland Hills, Encino and Sherman Oaks. Throughout L.A. County, 10 BIDs are up and running and 20 more are in various stages of formation. BID organizers must get the support of more than 50 percent of the district’s tenants in order to receive approval from the City Council, which must sign off on all BIDs. Most Valley-based districts are likely to assess property-owners rather than small-business people many of whom operate with razor thin margins and often are reluctant to add to their tax burdens, consultants say. Property-owners, on the other hand, often have a longer term stake in their communities, which gives property-based BIDs a greater chance of survival, according to consultants. In addition, property-based BIDs have a five-year life span; business-based districts must be renewed by a majority vote every year. Few of the Valley BIDs are close to making that decision, however. Instead, consultants have been organizing a series of public meetings designed to educate people about what a BID is and what the districts can accomplish. “This is an opportunity for business-owners and local government to get creative,” said Jonathan Port, a consultant with Economic Research Associates in Westwood, which is working with nascent BIDs in Sherman Oaks and Encino. However, he added, “We’re still looking for increased involvement. No decisions have been made.” Valley business- and property-owners will be grappling with those decisions over the next few months. In fact, few of the Valley BIDs will be ready to make their pitch to the City Council for approval before the end of the summer, the consultants say.

lacter///valleyedit/april/1stjc/mike1st Hed — Too Many Voices The Valley is suffering from business group inflation. Simply put, there are just too many organizations all doing pretty much the same thing. We note with interest the revving up of the Economic Alliance of the San Fernando Valley, which was originally formed in the aftermath of the 1994 Northridge earthquake and whose organizers aim to raise $7.5 million by the end of the year. There is nothing wrong with the organization’s primary aim: Promote the Valley as a good place to do business. Nor can fault be found with the selection of veteran television executive Bill Allen as the group’s president and chief executive (even if the $180,000 salary seems a mite high). Our biggest question is, “Why finance and expand such an organization when the Valley already has several vital business groups, such as the Valley Industry and Commerce Association, the United Chambers of Commerce and the Valley Economic Development Center?” Having so many associations creates a splintering effect that ultimately dilutes the Valley’s business voice. The profusion of groups, of course, is not limited to the Valley. Indeed, it’s a phenomenon throughout all of Los Angeles. In most cities, business interests tend to be represented by a single body often the local chamber of commerce. But the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce has had only limited effectiveness in reaching out to the city’s disparate business communities (which might help explain its limited effectiveness at the City Council). In lieu of the chamber or any other leading organization a host of business groups has been formed throughout the city. They include the Central City Association, the Economic Development Corp. of Los Angeles County, the Los Angeles Business Advisors and RLA not to mention business organizations geared to specific industries and ethnic groups. In fairness, L.A. is not like most American cities. Its sheer vastness creates diverse interests and agendas that are often difficult to embrace in a central organization. Even an issue like the proposed downtown sports arena will be of more interest to Central City members than to VICA. The splintering also is the result of a tendency by the major groups to skew their attention to downtown and the Westside not the Valley. In our story this month on the Economic Alliance, Allen takes to task the New Los Angeles Marketing Partnership. “I would defy you to find much information about the San Fernando Valley in NewLAMP’s marketing efforts,” Allen told reporter Daniel Taub. Point is well taken. And yet, we remain mystified as to why one of the existing Valley organizations could not take charge of the Economic Alliance’s marketing efforts. (We also wonder why $7.5 million is necessary to get the job done.) A coordinated business voice is not possible when there are so many voices seeking attention. As former L.A. Chamber President Ray Remy put it last year: “The combination of that many business groups creates the problem of competing for limited resources and competing for limited time from prominent business leaders.” In an era when consolidation and efficiency have become watchwords for doing business, it’s hard to understand why local business leaders including those in the Valley haven’t yet gotten the message.

Media/LSP/21″/mike1st/mark2nd By LISA STEEN PROCTOR Staff Reporter It’s airplane service for the privileged set and business is hot. With a new generation of jets being snapped up by corporate executives and anyone else who can afford the luxury of private jets, Media Aviation is undergoing a $20 million-plus upgrade at the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport. “The use of private airplanes will continue to go up,” said Robert Volk, the company’s chairman and CEO. “Particularly in the entertainment industry, businesses are becoming more international and high-profile people are concerned with security and avoiding contact with the general public.” Executives also turn to corporate jets to save the time it takes to fly commercial and the new generation of jets saves even more time than their predecessors, said Volk. Because the new jets can fly non-stop to destinations as far away as Tokyo or Paris, the jets save the three hours or so it typically takes to land, refuel and take off again, he said. As the largest “fixed base operator” at the airport, Media Aviation leases hangar space and provides fueling and tie-down services to corporate jet owners. The company provides space to about 70 percent of the more than $200 million worth of corporate aircraft based at the airport an airport that serves as a base for many entertainment industry titans. To prepare for the new generation of jets and to respond to increased demand in corporate jet usage, Media Aviation is tearing down many of its old hangars and replacing them with new upgraded hangars. Media Aviation is just one among a group of companies providing specialized services at the Burbank airport for corporate jets and those who fly them. The services range from specialized cleaning, such as T. Brennan Inc. Aircraft Cleaning, to managing the multi-million dollar aircraft, such as Jet Aviation Business Jets, one of Media Aviation’s tenants. To a company, they report an increase in business during the last year. “We’ve always had a fairly substantial number of corporate clients at Burbank,” said airport spokesman Victor Gill. “And we anticipate a significant increase in the number of corporate jets at the airport within the next 10 years.” Volk founded Media Aviation after he sold off another fixed base operator Martin Aviation (which had its primary facilities at Orange County’s John Wayne Airport) and retained the company’s Burbank facilities. Media Aviation generates revenues of $4.5 million most of it from companies that pay a monthly rent to have their jets housed in Media Aviation’s hangars. The company also provides fueling, tie-down and other services (including the use of conference rooms) to corporate travelers simply making a stop at the airport. Volk decided in 1996 to upgrade Media Aviation’s facilities to meet the demand expected from the new generation of jets. Volk turned to Wolff-DiNapoli, a Los Angeles-based real estate development and management firm, as a source of funding and a partner in the development venture. Much of Media Aviation’s upgrade involves constructing hangars high enough to accommodate the new generation of jets with their higher tails. In fact, it’s the first company in Southern California to build hangars that can accommodate the Gulfstream V’s 26-foot tail height, said Volk. The company is constructing hangars with doors 28 feet high and interior ceilings 32 feet high; the company’s tallest pre-existing hangar door is 25 feet high. To provide more privacy for clients, the company also is building single-tenant hangars with high-tech security systems, and decreasing its number of multiple-tenant hangars. The new hangars will not have more square footage (because of the limited land available); instead, the hangars will be built to accommodate more planes in the same amount of space. Old “barrel hangars” structures built during World War II, with roofs shaped like semi-circles will be torn down and replaced with flat-roofed, rectangular hangars. The sloped roof of the old configuration only allows usage of about 60 percent of the total hangar space because jets with higher tails can only be placed in the center space, said Volk. The new hangars will allow the use of all floor space. In addition, all hangar offices will be attached to the hangar from the outside, instead of being placed within, where they take up space that otherwise could be used by aircraft. But development plans involve more than just accommodating new types of jets. The company also plans to accommodate a greater number of jets as well to meet a climbing demand.

nwsmkrs/jb/18 inches/1stjc/mark2nd Advertising/Public Relations Kim Walter has been named vice president of operations for Van Nuy’s based AdOut. Walter previously worked as the advertising production manager of the Daily News of Los Angeles. In her new position, she will oversee a staff of 29 in the design and production of advertisments for newspapers. Entertainment Janice Meagher has been appointed senior vice president of marketing for Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal CityWalk. In her new position, Meagher will oversee advertising, promotions, broadcast development and publicity. She previously served as senior director for Pepsico’s Taco Bell Division. Stewart Sloke has been named vice president/production director of Glendale-based World Wide Wadio. Sloke previously worked at Waves Sound Recorders, where he was the primary engineer. In his new job, he will oversee the company’s staff of producers and sound designers. The company produces radio commercials for clients such as McDonald’s, Volvo and 20th Television. Bahman Naraghi has been named senior vice president of planning and operations for Universal Pictures. Naraghi will be responsible for all planning and development activities for the motion picture company, as well as strategic planning. He previously was senior director of corporate development for the Universal City-based company. Eric Hughes has been named vice president of production for Universal Pictures. In his new position, Hughes will be responsible for acquiring and developing movie projects. Prior to this assignment, he was creative executive of production for Turner Pictures. Glen Firstenberg has been appointed senior director of marketing for Universal Music & Video Distribution. In his new position, Firstenberg will oversee marketing and sales strategies with the labels and artist development representatives. Previously, he was Eastern regional sales director for Warner Audio Video Entertainment. High Technology Angela J. Johnson has been named vice president of investor relations and corporate communications at Spatializer Audio Laboratories Inc. of Woodland Hills. She has also been appointed an officer of the company and its subsidiaries as secretary. The company designs and licenses audio, data storage and other advanced technologies. Patrick A. Diamond has been hired as vice president of business development for Simi Valley-based HT Communications Inc. Diamond held a similar position with Frame Relay Technologies Inc. of Costa Mesa. He will be in charge of establishing partnerships with distributorships and industrial clients for the company,which develops ISDN technology. Real Estate Bob Reynolds has been named vice president of land acquisition for the AMCAL Group of Companies. Reynolds has previously worked for Monarch Homes, Nevada Griffin Homes, and the Antelope Valley Building Industry Association. AMCAL, based in Westlake Village, manages more than $100 million of real estate in Southern California and Arizona. Montgomery Watson Inc. has announced that Murli Tolaney will take over as chairman of the board and Robert B. Uhler as president. Tolaney is chief executive officer of the Pasadena-based company, which provides environmental engineering, construction and management. Uhler most recently served as CEO of the company’s industrial/federal operations. Travel/Tourism Steven King has been named director of group sales for the Universal City Hilton and Towers. King previously worked in a similar position at the Doubletree Hotel at Los Angeles International Airport. In his new job, King will be responsible for development and solicitation of advance group business from all markets.

LOMBARDO/for april issue/1stjc/mark2nd Burbank Airport A few observations are in order on your March story, “Burbank Airport terminal fight now headed for federal court.” A comment from John Ek of the Air Transport Association states that “what gets lost in this issue is that this is not the Burbank Airport. This is the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport.” Well Mr. Ek, ask any resident of Glendale or Pasadena what city they drive to when they are flying out of the so-called Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport. Second, Richard Simon implies that while Burbank residents bear the cost (which we do) of our litigation against the Airport Authority, they (the airport) utilize their own revenues to fight us. He would have you believe it’s not tax dollars financing their legal costs. The last time I checked, FAA grant money, passenger facility charges, landing fees and the like, are all taxes in one form or another. They just happen to be spread out over a larger tax base. And, as an aside, over $1 million in eminent domain work was performed by a law firm which employed the son of a Glendale appointee to the Airport Authority. CHARLIE LOMBARDO Burbank

Women-Owned Firms In Los Angeles Growing Faster Than Economy Increases in top 50 metro areas nationwide By Karen Caplan Women-owned businesses are growing faster than the overall economy in Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA and in each of the top 50 metropolitan areas in the U.S., according to the National Foundation for Women Business Owners (NFWBO). The Foundation’s report is the first detailed, up-to-date study of women-owned enterprises in the nation’s leading cities. The report, “1996 Facts on Women-Owned Businesses: Trends in the Top 50 Metropolitan Areas,” shows that the number of women-owned businesses in the Los Angeles area nearly doubled over the past nine years, employment more than tripled, and sales increased nearly four-fold. As of 1996, Los Angeles’ 314,400 women-owned enterprises employ 681,500 people and generate more than $105 billion in sales. “This substantial growth in both sales and employment of women-owned businesses shows how significant they are to the economic health of their local communities,” noted Susan Peterson, NFWBO Chair. Peterson said, “Nationally, there are nearly 8 million women-owned businesses as of 1996, employing more than 18.5 million people and generating close to $2.3 trillion in sales.” Overall, the growth rates of women-owned firms are the highest in the “non-traditional” goods-producing sector, which includes construction, manufacturing and agribusiness. Los Angeles ranks second in number, size and employment for women-owned businesses. The top metropolitan areas for women-owned businesses ranked on a combination of number of firms, sales and employment in 1996 are: New York, NY; Los Angeles/Long Beach, CA; Chicago, IL; Philadelphia, PA-NJ; and Washington, DC-MD-VA-WV. Between 1987 and 1996, the cities with the fastest growth in women-owned businesses were: Portland, OR/Vancouver, WA; Seattle/Bellevue/Everett, WA; Phoenix-Mesa, AZ; Houston, TX; and Nashville, TN, as measured by the growth in the number, employment and sales among women-owned firms. Los Angeles ranks 22nd in growth rate over the past nine years. “As we increase in numbers and economic power, women-owned enterprises are beginning to resemble the profile of all U.S. businesses in size, age, creditworthiness and industry distribution,” observed Peterson, NFWBO Chair. ### Karen Caplan is President of the National Association of Women Business Owners, Los Angeles Chapter (NAWBO-LA). She also is President of Frieda’s, Inc., the nation’s leading marketer of specialty produce.