100 F
San Fernando
Friday, Apr 25, 2025
Logout
Join Our Membership
Home Blog Page 9

Valley Portfolio Sells for $85 Million

By
Zane Hill
-
9010 Tobias Ave. in Panorama City was one of 16 apartment properties involved in 2024's record real estate transaction for the San Fernando Valley.

A 596-unit, 16-parcel multifamily portfolio in the San Fernando Valley sold for $85 million, making it the largest multifamily transaction in San Fernando Valley last year and one of the largest multifamily portfolio sales in the county in the same time period.

Marcus & Millichap Inc. represented the sellers, Heitman, Invesco and ETHOS Real Estate and the buyer, Material Comforts Inc., in the transaction. The sellers were represented by Tony Azzi, while the buyer was procured by Rabbie Banafsheha, Kristen Sullivan and Arteen Zahiri.

The portfolio generated 28 offers. Banafsheha said “a competitive ‘best and final’ process required all offers to close before the end of the year without contingencies, demonstrating how strategic execution and the collaboration of all parties involved can result in significant accomplishments within the industry.”

Tony Azzi

“The transaction showcases the resilience and strategic expertise required to close deals in today’s challenging market,” Azzi said in a statement. “The sale also stands out for its scale and the innovative incorporation of a nonprofit partnership with National Community Renaissance, which delivered substantial financial benefits for the stakeholders and contributes to the expansion of affordable housing in Los Angeles.”

At least 50% of the residents at the properties will earn under 80% of the Area Median Income, which will qualify the owner for a property tax abatement.

“This approach not only delivered substantial financial benefits but also addressed critical community needs, such as affordable housing,” Azzi said in a statement. “By leveraging creative deal structures, this transaction serves as a model for future collaborations between the public and private sectors, demonstrating how high-value transactions can succeed in challenging markets.”

“This acquisition underscores the importance of persistence and partnership in today’s market,” Yaacov Brenenson, president of Material Comforts, added. “While many are moving investments outside of California, we saw this as an opportunity to make a long-term investment in the future of Los Angeles. I want to thank our agents for their attention to detail during the process from start to finish. I was happy with their diligence on a transaction as complicated as this one.”

Local Airport Passenger Tally Drops in November

By
Zane Hill
-
An Avelo Airlines plane lands at Hollywood Burbank Airport in 2021. (Photo by Joe Scarnici/Getty Images for Avelo)

For the first time since the pandemic hit, the total passenger count at the four airports serving Los Angeles County fell in November compared to the same month a year earlier, due in large part to a quirk in the calendar.

In November, a total of 7.43 million passengers went through the gates at Los Angeles International, Ontario International, Hollywood Burbank, and Long Beach airports in November, down 1.9% from November 2023. Passenger counts dropped at LAX and Long Beach, offsetting increases at Ontario and Burbank.

A key reason for the drop: this past November did not include the Sunday after Thanksgiving – traditionally the busiest air travel day of the entire year – as that day fell on Dec. 1. Because the year-over-year totals were already running at nearly flat levels, that one missing day was enough to push the November totals down compared to the same month in 2023 that did include the Sunday after Thanksgiving.

On the positive side, December passenger numbers should show more of an increase than would normally be expected, since that month this time included the Sunday after Thanksgiving.

Weak showing for domestic passengers at LAX

Long Beach Airport had the largest percentage drop in passengers in November compared to the same month the previous year: 335,000 passengers went through the gates for a decline of 3.6%.

LAX also posted a significant drop in November. A total of 5.93 million passengers went through the terminal gates, down 2.9% from the same month in 2023.

As has been the case all year, domestic passenger traffic at LAX was weakest, with a drop of 4.4% in November compared to the same month in 2023. International passenger traffic rose a mere 0.8%.

Ontario International and Hollywood Burbank airports, on the other hand, posted virtually identical percentage gains in passenger tallies of nearly 4.4% in November compared to the same month in 2023. Those gains would have been larger if not for the shifting of the busy Sunday after Thanksgiving air travel day into December.

“Month after month, Ontario (International) continues to prove why it’s Southern California’s go-to airport for both passenger travel and cargo operations, and we are ready to handle even more and meet the growing needs of our community,” said Atif Elkadi, chief executive of the Ontario International Airport Authority.

Comparing the airport passenger totals in November with pre-pandemic November 2019, the overall total was still down nearly 8%. But that reflects a sharp dichotomy: the three regional airports of Ontario, Burbank and Long Beach collectively posted a 12.5% gain in November compared to the same month five years earlier, while LAX remains nearly 12% below pre-pandemic levels.

Due to the prolonged slump in domestic passenger traffic, LAX has never come back to within single-digit percentage levels of pre-pandemic counts. In July, John Ackerman, the new chief executive at Los Angeles World Airports, the city agency that operates the airport, formed a unit that aims to boost the number of passenger flights.

Cargo volumes up slightly

The quirk of the calendar did not negatively impact air cargo operations at the airports. Both LAX and Ontario – which together handle 98% of the region’s air cargo – saw gains in November compared to the same month in 2023.

Overall, more than 275,000 metric tons of air cargo was handled at the four airports in November, up 1.8% from the same month in 2023. LAX, which handles nearly two-thirds of the air cargo, eked out a 1% increase, while Ontario notched a nearly 5% gain.

For months now, the 2024 air cargo totals have been running just a little ahead of pre-pandemic levels, though they are down double-digit percentages from the pandemic-induced air cargo surge in 2021.

Semtech Sees Stock Price Rise Amid Strong Q3

By
Zane Hill
-
Offices: Semtech is based in Camarillo.

Shares in Semtech Corp. have been holding steady since releasing its fiscal third quarter financial results.

The stock price of the Camarillo semiconductor and Internet-of-Things products manufacturer has stayed above $60 a share in closing prices since late November. It reached its 52-week high of $69.10 on Dec. 4.

The share price closed at $62.10 on Jan. 2.

In late November, with the release of fiscal third quarter earnings, the stock price increased by 18% from the close of $53.44 on Nov. 25 and the following day’s close of $63.11.

Semtech reported after the market closed on Nov. 25 an adjusted net income of $20.3 million (26 cents a share) for the quarter ending Oct. 27, which is a considerable increase from the adjusted net income of $1.5 million (2 cents) in the same period of the previous year. Revenue increased by 18% from the third quarter of the prior year to $237 million.

Beating Wall Street estimates

The results beat Wall Street expectations.

The average estimate of six analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research called for earnings of 24 cents on revenue of $233 million.

Hong Hou, the chief executive of the Ventura County manufacturer, said he was pleased to report growth across each of the company’s end markets, particularly in data centers where it projects AI-driven product demand to be a long-term and transformational growth engine for the company.

“Our results validate that our customers and target markets are moving toward us and highlight the effectiveness of our initiatives to drive market share gain and SAM (software asset management) expansion,” Hou said in a statement.

All three of Semtech’s business units saw increases in revenue in the fiscal third quarter.

The infrastructure end market showed an increase of 58% year-over-year to about $66 million. That market includes data centers, passive optical networks and fiber to the home connections.

The high-end consumer end market went up by 7% to $40 million, while the industrial products market jumped by 9% to $131 million. That market includes long-range, low power, or LoRa, products which contributed $29 million to the revenue for a year-over-year increase of 104%.

“Increasing consumption of recent generation LoRa products signals market adoption of enhanced capabilities,” the company said in its presentation of the fiscal third quarter results.

As for its outlook for the current fourth quarter, which ends in January, Semtech said it expects earnings of between 29 cents to 35 cents a share on revenue in the range of $245 million to $255 million.

Mark Lin, Semtech’s executive vice president and chief financial officer, said that the reported results and outlook demonstrate leverage in its operating model, targeting healthy net sales growth along with prudent spending.

“We reported positive operating and free cash flows, and consistent with our previously stated capital allocation priority, we made principal prepayments on our credit facility in both the third and fourth quarters of this fiscal year,” Lin said in a statement.

The company last month sold more than 10.5 million shares of its common stock in a public offering for $63 a share, making it a gross sum of approximately $661 million.

“The company intends to use the net proceeds from the offering for the repayment of certain indebtedness under the company’s third amended and restated credit agreement…with the lenders party thereto and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent,” it said in a release.

Local Firms Score ASIFA Award Nods

By
Zane Hill
-
Poster: Disney series “Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur.”

ASIFA-Hollywood released recently its nominees for the 52nd annual Annie Awards.

The Burbank-based trade group for the animation industry will present the awards on Feb. 8 at Royce Hall on the campus of UCLA.

The Annies span 36 categories and include best animated feature, best animated feature-independent, special productions, sponsored films, short subjects, student films and outstanding individual achievements, as well as the honorary juried awards.

ASIFA-Hollywood Executive Director Aubry Mintz said this year’s nominees exemplify the range of talent and approaches to animation while the juried awards honor the past, present and future of the craft.

“The Annie Awards celebrate artists that have made incredible achievements in both the commercial studio world, and the independent filmmaking arenas, recognizing the impact that is made to improve equity and inclusion, and acknowledge innovation as we look towards the horizon,” Mintz said in a statement.

The Walt Disney Co. in Burbank came out ahead with the total number of nominations with 37, including for “Moana 2,” “Inside Out 2” and “Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur” nominated in three different categories.

Coming in second to Disney was Los Gatos streamer Netflix Inc. with 29 nominations, followed by Glendale-based DreamWorks Animation, a subsidiary of Universal Pictures in Universal City, with 19 nominations.

The DreamWorks film “The Wild Robot” came up with the most nominations for a single film with 10 including best feature, best effects in a feature and best direction in a feature.

Disney Enters Joint Venture With Firm

By
Zane Hill
-

The Walt Disney Co. has entered into a joint venture with India’s largest private sector company to create one of the biggest entertainment companies in the Southeast Asian country.

The Burbank entertainment and media giant will own nearly 37% of the venture Disney Star, Reliance Industries Ltd. will own about 16% and Viacom18 Media Private Ltd. will own about 47%. (Reliance is a majority owner of Viacom18.)

Reliance will invest $1.4 billion into the joint venture for its growth.

“The joint venture is home to the most iconic and engaging media brands in India across TV and digital platforms,” the companies said in a release from Nov. 14. “The combination of Star and Colors on the television side and JioCinema and Hotstar on the digital front will provide extensive choice of content across entertainment and sports to viewers in India and globally.”

The venture operates over 100 TV channels and produces 30,000-plus hours of TV entertainment content annually.

The JioCinema and Hotstar digital platforms have an aggregate subscription base of over 50 million. The joint venture holds a portfolio of sports rights across cricket, football and other sports, according to the release.

Disney Chief Executive Bob Iger called the formation of the joint venture “an exciting moment” for the two companies.

Disney Chief Executive Bob Iger

“By joining forces with Reliance, we are able to expand our presence in this important media market and deliver viewers an even more robust portfolio of entertainment, sports content, and digital services,” Iger said in a statement.

The joint venture will be led by three chief executives: Kevin Vaz will head the entertainment organization across all platforms; Kiran Mani will take charge of the combined digital organization while Sanjog Gupta will lead the combined sports organization.

Valley Law Firm Adds New Names

By
Zane Hill
-

Now with a fresh name change, the business litigation firm that began in 1990 as Gray Duffy LLP is now Gray, Duffy, Eisenbaum & Lee LLP.

The Woodland Hills-based law firm announced the change late last year, bringing Managing Partner Michael Eisenbaum and civil litigation partner Nathan Lee into the highest rung of firm leadership. Eisenbaum has been managing partner of the firm for three years and has been weighing the investment into name partner for the last half of that.

Michael Eisenbaum

“I wanted to prove to myself that I could get it done and be successful at it,” he said. “I had something to prove to myself first.”

In his time at the helm, the firm has shored up its attorney headcount to the present-day 16 and also in 2022 relocated its longtime Encino headquarter office to the Warner Center in Woodland Hills. There, it started with 8,400 square feet; the firm added 2,000 more square feet to its floor lease this past summer.

Lee joined the firm in 2012 and built up a practice that includes personal injury and business disputes, developing an expertise in asbestos-related issues.

The name change comes as cofounders Gary Gray is “semi-retired” and John Duffy continues to work daily. Eisenbaum hailed Lee as a “partner in crime” at the firm.

Nathan Lee

“That’s why his name’s up there with mine,” he quipped. “He’s really been such an asset to the firm. His work ethic far surpasses just about everyone, including myself, except maybe for Gary Gray. He was worthy of recognition.

“The one thing that’s always been constant and that’s been ingrained in myself, Nate and the firm generally is our commitment to the legal practice and service to our clients,” he added.

Amgen Plans To Expand N.C. Campus

By
Zane Hill
-
Outpost: Amgen's drug substance manufacturing facility located in North Carolina.

Thousand Oaks pharma giant Amgen Inc. is doubling down on making North Carolina one of its major drug manufacturing centers.

The company announced Dec. 5 that it plans to open a $1 billion second drug manufacturing facility in Holly Springs, North Carolina. It’s next door to a $550 million facility that broke ground in 2022 and is set to open early next year.

“This expansion underscores our unwavering focus on bringing transformative medicines to patients around the world,” Robert Bradway, Amgen’s chief executive, said in the announcement.

Amgen is one of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies with revenue last year of $28 billion and a global workforce of approximately 25,000. The company has roughly three dozen individual drug lines, including well-known drugs such as Prolia, Embrel and Otezla. Recently, Amgen has been integrating drug lines from Horizon Therapeutics, the Irish pharmaceutical company that it acquired late last year.

To produce all these drugs, Amgen has a global manufacturing network, including facilities in its home state of California, Ohio, Rhode Island, Puerto Rico, Ireland, the Netherlands and Puerto Rico. The plant in Ohio, which is nearly 300,000 square feet, opened earlier this year.

Amgen has long eyed the Holly Springs, North Carolina, area as a potential manufacturing hub because of its proximity to the biotech cluster in the Research Triangle Park area in the Raleigh-Durham metro region and its considerable talent pool.

“North Carolina will be an important part of our global manufacturing network as we continue to meet the growing demand for our innovative therapies while generating significant local economic impact,” Bradway said.

In 2021, the company announced its first plant in Holly Springs; ground was broken on that $550 million, 350,000-square-foot facility in March 2022, and it’s expected to open early next year.

The company has not disclosed the square footage for this second plant, but if the $1 billion cost figure is any guide, it could should be nearly double the 350,000 square feet of the first facility.

According to Amgen spokeswoman Elissa Snook, the company currently has about 220 employees in North Carolina. That number is expected to increase early next year as the first plant opens. After the second plant opens and ramps up production, Snook said the total employment at the two plants should reach about 725 by 2030.

North Hollywood Apartments Sell

By
Zane Hill
-
Sold: Marquee is a 236-unit apartment complex in North Hollywood.

Marquee, a 236-unit, garden-style apartment complex in North Hollywood, has traded for $44 million in an off-market transaction.

Built in 1965 and subject to the city’s rent stabilization ordinance, the property features a swimming pool, a leasing office, a 24-hour fitness center and multiple outdoor courtyards.

“The Marquee sale represents the only 120+ unit rent-controlled apartment sale in the entire city of Los Angeles in the last year,” Adrienne Barr, senior managing director at Berkadia Los Angeles, the company which brokered the deal, said in a statement. “Working together with our mortgage banking partners, we were able to achieve something that no other broker has done in a tough market.”

In addition to the sale, Berkadia also announced that Tim Leonhard and Jeremy Kanter of Berkadia Dallas and New York, respectively, secured $32.9 million in acquisition financing on behalf of the buyer – a joint venture between Beverly Hills-based holding company Post Investment Group and Maryland-based commercial real estate finance and advisory service firm Walker & Dunlop Inc.

While Berkadia did not name the seller, records indicate MG Properties Group purchased the property for $27.5 million from Cirrus Asset Management Group in 2014, according to CoStar Group Inc., which is nearly half of its purchase price today.

The complex is made up of 194 studio apartments, 36 one-bedroom units and six two-bedroom units – coming out to roughly $186,000 per unit. It is located just north of the NoHo Arts District, adjacent to the Valley Park Plaza and in close proximity to job centers including Warner Bros., CBS Studios and the Hollywood Burbank Airport.

L.A. County Unemployment Rate Hit 6% in November

By
Zane Hill
-
Skyline: The Warner Center in Woodland Hills. (Photo by David Sprague)

L.A. County’s jobs picture in November was a case of good news and bad news.

First the good news: Employers in Los Angeles County added on net nearly 15,000 jobs, completing the process of wiping out the 784,000 jobs lost in the county during the two-month pandemic-induced shutdown of the economy in March and April 2020.

Now the bad news: The unemployment rate in Los Angeles County hit the 6% threshold in November for the first time since Feb. 2022, rising from 5.9% in October. The number of county residents who reported in November that they were working fell by 9,000, while the ranks of the officially unemployed rose by 5,000.

Those mixed trends were the key takeaways from the monthly Los Angeles County unemployment and payroll jobs data release on Dec. 20 from the state Employment Development Department.

On the unemployment front, the 6.0% rate for Los Angeles County was up from 5.3% a year ago. It also was higher than the 5.4% unemployment rate for all of California in November and way higher than the national level of 4.2% for that same month.

The Employment Development Department also released a breakout of November unemployment rates by city, though unlike the countywide average, these are not adjusted for seasonal factors. The November rates for the two largest cities in the county – Los Angeles and Long Beach – were 5.9% and 5.8% respectively, each down three-tenths of a percentage point from October.

Among cities with labor forces exceeding 10,000, Lomita had the lowest seasonally unadjusted unemployment rate of 2.4% in November, while Calabasas had the highest rate at 8.3%.

For cities in the San Fernando, Santa Clarita, Antelope and Conejo valleys with labor forces exceeding 10,000, the city of San Fernando had the lowest seasonally unadjusted unemployment rate in November of 4.5%, followed by Santa Clarita at 5.4% and Glendale at 5.7%.

At the high end in the quad-valley area, after Calabasas and its 8.3% unemployment rate in November, next were Lancaster and Palmdale (both at 8.0%). Burbank’s rate came in at 7.2%.

On the payroll jobs front, county employers added 14,900 jobs to their payrolls in November for a total of 4.64 million. That total topped the 4.62 million jobs in February 2020, just before the pandemic hit, meaning the county has fully recovered the jobs lost in that devastating pandemic-induced shutdown of the economy.

However, this is not the first time the February 2020 level has been topped. That first time was in March of last year. And the numbers kept rising to a record 4.72 million payroll jobs in December. But, those gains were illusory. That’s because in March of this year, the Employment Development Department issued its annual revision of the jobs data, which resulted in the disappearance of 110,000 jobs from that December total. According to the revised data, those 110,000 jobs never existed, which put the revised jobs tally back below the February 2020 threshold.

Whether this second time over the February 2020 mark survives the next data revision remains to be seen.

Returning to the present day, seasonal hiring in the retail sector led the way with a net gain of 10,700 jobs in November.

The state Employment Development Department also releases a seasonally adjusted payroll jobs figure each month that accounts for expected seasonal variations like retail hiring around the holidays. For November, that set of adjusted figures for overall payroll employment in Los Angeles County showed a slight drop of 900 jobs from the October level.

Other sectors with substantial gains (unadjusted for seasonal factors) were health care/social assistance (up 5,400 jobs) and motion picture/sound recording (up 3,600).

The accommodation/food services sector shed the most payroll jobs in November, down a net 4,900. Payroll jobs in the construction sector declined by 3,400, while the manufacturing sector fell by 2,100 jobs.

For the 12-month period ending in November, employer payrolls in the county rose by 46,200, or exactly 1%. That’s about half the growth rate of a couple years ago, when the county was in full recovery mode from the pandemic.

The sector with the biggest payroll job gains over the 12-month period ending in November was health care/social assistance, which surged by more than 36,000 jobs. A number of other sectors reported comparatively modest gains, including retail trade (up 7,500), and government (up 2,400 jobs).

The manufacturing sector saw a decrease of 10,400 jobs over the 12-month period ending in November to about 309,000. That continues a long-term sectoral decline: In March 1990, there were 834,000 manufacturing jobs in Los Angeles County, which means the sector shed 63% of those jobs in the ensuing 34-plus years.

Besides manufacturing, the only other sector with significant job loss over the 12 months ending in November was construction, which shed 2,400 jobs.

2024 Women’s Leadership Awards Finalists

By
staff-author
-

CEO OF THE YEAR

GALEN CALLAHAN
FINALIST
Founder and President
805escrow

Galen Callahan is a role model for female entrepreneurship, business acumen and mastering work-life balance. Not only is she the founder and president of 805escrow and a former highly successful realtor, she has achieved all of this while raising six children and giving back to her profession and community.

Under Callahan’s leadership, 805escrow has gained recognition as one of the region’s premier escrow companies, providing escrow services tailored to luxury clients all throughout Southern California. Callahan’s almost two-decades of experience in real estate transactions and escrow services have allowed her to grow 805escrow’s reach and reputation far beyond the boundaries of the 805 area code.


LAUREL MINTZ
FINALIST
Founder & CEO
Elevate My Brand

Laurel Mintz J.D., MBA is the chief executive officer and founder of award-winning marketing agency Elevate My Brand, serving both startups and blue chip global brands like Facebook, Verizon Digital Media Group, PAW Patrol, and Zendesk. Mintz’s gift is connecting with people and their stories.

Using her experience working with more than 200 companies in the CPG and technology spaces, Mintz also launched Fabric VC in 2022 to weave together diverse founders with the funding they need and deserve. Fabric VC focuses especially on equity and inclusion in the VC world.

ILIANA TAVERA
FINALIST
CEO

Haven Hills since 2015, Iliana Tavera has led one of the largest domestic violence (DV) agencies in Los Angeles County. Established in 1977, Haven Hills started its Crisis Line and Outreach Program to provide DV Survivors with emergency intervention, safety planning and access to resources and referrals. In 1980, Haven Hills opened a 30-Day Crisis Shelter for the many survivors who accessed the Crisis Line or counseling but had no safe place to go.

Tavera has navigated the complexities of leading an organization dedicated to supporting survivors while striving to implement innovative programs that address the complex needs of survivors and their children.

EXECUTIVE OF THE YEAR

ALLISON CARROLL
FINALIST
Design Director
Nadia Geller Designs

Allison Carroll, a leader in the interior design industry, is the design director for Nadia Geller Designs (NGD), an interior design firm launched by interior designer and media personality Nadia Geller. The firm boasts full-service expertise and works with leading developers and architectural firms like Cityview, AO, KTGY, AC Martin, Greystar, and other Southern California-based AEC firms.

Carroll’s experience in the world of arts has shaped the way she views interior design. Through her robust career and experience in creating immersive spaces, Carroll has developed an innate sense of confidence in her ideas. Her philosophy is‚ “if you believe it, then others will, too.”


LAUREN CORUGEDO
FINALIST
Head of Marketing
Chef Merito

Lauren Corugedo is a veteran marketer with experience across CPG, food and Latino culture. For more than 13 years, she has supported Los Angeles-born and legacy brand Chef Merito tap into target audiences, build promotional partnerships, and grow across new markets and distribution platforms.

In her current role, Corugedo over-sees all branding and marketing efforts for the tri-generational Latino food brand including its social media, strategic partnerships and live promotions (especially with its growing number of supermarket partners) and community programming. In the past year she positioned Chef Merito as the market leader in carne asada.


ADI LIVYATAN
FINALIST
Real Estate Salesperson Associate
Rodeo Realty, Inc. – The Livyatan Group

Adi Livyatan is a luxury home specialist, one of the country’s top realtors and one of the most accomplished and respected agents in Southern California. With sales over $300 million per year, Livyatan is in the top 1% of all agents nationwide.

Livyatan is not only the number one ranked agent in the Rodeo Realty Sherman Oaks office, but she is also the top producing agent in all of the San Fernando Valley. Exceptionally well respected, Livyatan has represented hundreds of buyers and sellers in various price ranges. She is one of the very top agents specializing in the development and new construction.


LARA SAAB
FINALIST
Managing Director, CBRE
Property Management, Greater Los Angeles
CBRE

With an impressive 20-year career trajectory, managing director Lara Saab is the market leader of CBRE Property Management for the Greater Los Angeles area. In her role, Saab is entrusted with the development and execution of strategic initiatives, as well as providing day-to-day guidance for over 30 million square feet of office, industrial and retail properties managed by the company on behalf of building owners and investors.

Saab plays an integral role in the CBRE Los Angeles leadership team, overseeing business expansion, nurturing relationships with more than 40 clients, and supervising a workforce of 150 employees.

CHAMPION OF WOMEN


RITA BOCCUZZI
CEO
Flourish Inc.

Rita Boccuzzi is known by her colleagues as the type of woman who goes above and beyond to make sure that anyone who needs her help is well taken care of. Whether that be by connecting them to the right person, having a supportive conversation, or mentoring during her free time, Boccuzzi is the most incredible example of what it means to be a Champion of Women.

Boccuzzi’s primary focus is financial education and empowerment in order to elevate her community, with a special focus on women so that they can educate their families and friends. She believes that a financially educated society is an elevated society and she absolutely practices what she preaches. In her free time she hosts complimentary workshops to help people with their “money journey.”


KARINA CASTAGNA
FINALIST
SVP Commercial Strategy
Mercalis

Karina Castagna is an inspiration for fellow women throughout the healthcare industry with her volunteer work as chair for the pacific region of the Healthcare Business Women’s association as well as her commitment to Kidstream in Camarillo to get a kids museum built that will not only serve and educate young kids in the local community but help underprivileged kids access a museum in their back yard.

In addition, Castagna’s work success has been driven by her passion to help patients overcome access barriers through creative digital and human patient support services that are marketed to the pharmaceutical industry.


CLAUDIA SHAH
FINALIST
Lead Business Adviser
Centro SBDC

Claudia Shah leads the Spanish-speaking program of the SBDC in Los Angeles County called, Centro SBDC. She has been leading this program since 2015 dedicated to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion within the Latino community in Los Angeles County. With a focus on supporting small business owners who primarily speak Spanish, Centro SBDC provides workshops and one-on-one advising.

Shah believes that economic success should be accessible to all, regardless of language or cultural background. Under her leadership, the organization works tirelessly to bridge the gap between Spanish-speaking entrepreneurs and the resources they need to thrive.

VIKKI STONE
FINALIST
Senior Vice President
Poms & Associates

For over 40 years, Vikki Stone has dedicated her career to helping manufacturers, distributors, and property owners minimize claims, reduce insurance expenses, and enhance workplace culture. She brings a passion for the transformative power of strategic risk management.

Stone actively seeks out opportunities to educate and foster stronger risk management awareness particularly to women leaders in safety-forward industries such as manufacturing and transportation. She thrives on hiring and mentoring women, and bringing women across trades together to strengthen networking, learning, and support. A champion for women in business, Stone is a passionate advocate for authenticity and empathy.

EMERGING WOMAN-OWNED BUSINESS LEADER


SARAH OBERMAN
FINALIST
Founder
TruNorth Jets

Sarah Oberman is a skilled, respected charter broker with decades of experience in the aviation industry. After many years of exemplary and innovative work in the charter and flight school business for which she received both regional and national recognition, Oberman launched her own business, TruNorth Jets, in January 2022.

TruNorth Jets expands air-travel options for leisure and business travelers residing along California’s Central Coast and beyond, allowing them to skip the lines and logistical headaches associated with large scale, commercial flight. Oberman’s clients enjoy first-class private jet experiences throughout the United States, to Europe, Mexico, the Bahamas and other destinations.

DANIELLE ROY
FINALIST
Founder
Morale Matters

Danielle Roy founded Morale Matters, a business consulting firm, on her maternity leave with a mission to help small and mid-size businesses grow. She previously was on the executive team responsible for talent development and recruiting for over 4000 employees at a Forbes Top 25 Private Company. Roy maintains eight certifications in her field.

Roy’s purpose and passion is to empower inspirational leaders. She left her corporate role on the executive team to pursue Morale Matters full time when she realized she could not encourage her clients to have courage and overcome adversity if she did not have courage herself.


JEN SAXTON
FINALIST
Founder & CEO
Tot Squad

Jen Saxton is a phenom and a serial entrepreneur in the baby industry. She sold her first business to BabyQuip in 2020 after scaling and franchising a cleaning service for strollers and car seats into “Geek Squad” style service centers inside big box baby stores nationwide.

During the first lockdowns, Saxton began working on Tot Squad with a vision to transform the baby registry experience to enable new and expecting parents to add services and experiences, not just products, to their gift wish lists. She’s powering it with a platform featuring a nationwide network of baby-industry pros like lactation consultants, night nannies, car seat installers, and more.

INNOVATOR OF THE YEAR

BRENDA ALLISON
FINALIST
CEO
Coast General Insurance Brokers

Brenda Allison has been at the helm of Coast General Insurance Brokers in Oxnard since 2007, She previously founded and grew the successful firm Allison Commercial Insurance, before acquiring Coast General and merging the two companies into a unified firm that has since grown to encompass a group of nine brokerages.

Throughout her career, Allison has worked tirelessly to overcome obstacles and grow her business. Today she continues to grow her firm. In addition to acquiring Coast General Insurance Brokers in 2007, she acquired three other agencies in 2017 and 2019. She strives to offer risk management solutions tailored to individual needs.

LISA ELKAN
FINALIST
Owner / Founder
Lisa PR

Lisa Elkan has over 15 years’ experience in marketing and PR for professionals and small businesses, with a niche in legal marketing. Elkan’s specialties include marketing, public relations, advertising, social media marketing, business development, and brand management.

Elkan founded Lisa PR in 2012 after working in the field (Guthy Renker Corporation and two prestigious LA law firms) since graduating from UCLA. It was hard at first, but with hard work, passion and drive, Elkan celebrated her company’s 12-year anniversary this year. She loves having her own company, making her own schedule, and working with so many exceptional professionals.


JORDYN JACKSON
FINALIST
Owner
Soaring Samaritans

Youth Movements a second-year student in Councilmember Lee’s LEE12 Leader- ship in Excellence Program, Jordyn Jackson has been engaged in civic affairs and governance alongside 18 high school students. For over nine years, she has led her nonprofit, Soaring Samaritans Youth Movement. As part of her work, she distributes essential items and humanitarian aid to youth in underserved communities.

In order to sustain these efforts, Jackson established SOAR Jewels, a socially responsible jewelry company. In collaboration with fellow students at her high school, Jackson crafts hand-made jewelry, offering service hours to those involved.

JANICE MILLER
FINALIST
Managing Partner
Miller Haga Law Group LLP

Janice Miller is managing partner of Miller Haga Law Group LLP, a boutique corporate business transactional law firm in Southern California. She is a highly recognized legal expert with over 25 years of experience as an innovative general counsel. At Miller Haga she serves as a strategic legal partner and business advisor, providing the firm’s clients with pragmatic, cost-effective legal and business solutions that minimize risk and maximize profits.

Prior to entering private practice, Miller was NBCUniversal’s vice pres- ident of business affairs for Universal Studios Hollywood and CityWalk, playing an important role in both the business and legal sides of the billion-dollar expansion of Universal Studios.

COMMUNITY IMPACT ADVOCATE

BRENDA ALLISON
FINALIST
CEO
Coast General Insurance Brokers

Brenda Allison, who has been at the helm of Coast General Insurance Brokers in Oxnard since 2007, is also a highly regarded and sought-after public speaker for events throughout California. She speaks frequently at agriculture conferences about risk management.

Allison’s other speaking engagements focus on financial literacy, children’s issues and empowerment of women. She is a regular keynote speaker for foster girls at an annual camp in Santa Barbara County and for numerous non-profits throughout California. An active member in her community, Allison founded the Cuban Culture Club of Ventura County, where she continues to be an active member.

SHAMEKA BEAUGARD
FINALIST
Founder
Youth with a Purpose

Shameka Beaugard’s professional experience is marked by a strong commitment to leadership, education and innovation in community services. Facing and overcoming societal challenges, she has actively created programs that address the gaps in support for young mothers, teens and other disenfranchised groups.

Beaugard’s passion can be seen in her nonprofit Youth with a Purpose, and the programs it builds for the community such as the Mommy Mentor Network. Beaugard’s organization not only addresses the immediate needs of its members but also equips them with the tools for long-term success. Her efforts have resulted in fostering communal strength.

MONIQUE LAWSHE
FINALIST
Partner
GHC Housing Partners LLC

Monique Lawshe is an accomplished executive who combines decades of experience in real estate development with a deep passion for civic improvement and inclusion. Upon graduating with an MBA from UCLA Anderson School of Management, Lawshe broke into development with a project management role at A Community of Friends (ACOF), a small nonprofit that builds and manages affordable housing for individuals experiencing mental illness.

In her 10-year tenure at ACOF, the organization increased the supply of affordable housing units from two buildings and 40 units at the time Lawshe started, to about 1,000 units throughout Los Angeles County.

LAURA McHOLM
FINALIST
Co-Founder & Marketing Director
NorthStar Moving Company

Every day is an adventure for. Laura McHolm of NorthStar Moving and she thrives off of it because she is reinventing a traditionally male industry and making moving kinder. Her steadfast commitment to corporate citizenship is changing the moving industry through charitable contributions. McHolm firmly believes that running a moving business means a lot more than lifting things it’s about lifting up the community. She has built a company and a life that is built upon a sincere dedication to meeting the highest standards for service and integrity in her relationships with customers, employees and the community at large.

MENTOR OF THE YEAR

BRONTË FYKE
FINALIST
Director of Marketing
PaymentCloud

Brontë Fyke has been working professionally at PaymentCloud since it’s early days. Starting as the single marketing hire for a group of 30 was no small task. But as the company got more successful and grew, so did the team of bright and talented marketers along with it.

Now with 14 additional people whom she mentors with a lot of heart, this group of diverse men and women handle everything for five different brands. Fyke aims to not only encourage everyone’s professional growth, but also their personal success and health. She’s created a department that has the highest retention rate and lowest call-out rate.

AMANDA MAZON
FINALIST
Executive Operations Analyst
Mathnasium LLC

As executive operations analyst at Mathnasium, Amanda Mazon brings the company’s culture and inclusion to the forefront. She has spearheaded many initiatives for the workforce, including serving as the chair for Mathnasium’s Women in Leadership Initiative, leading the Mentor Mentee program, and advocating for a Day of Giving and organized the Sandwich Builders initiative, with the company covering the supplies and the workforce making sandwiches for the homeless.

With Mazon’s experience in Human Services, Mathnasium saw reduced turnover in 2023. Her coaching has been instrumental in guiding the management team with their projects and Initiatives.

SARA MURDOCK
FINALIST
Executive Director & Futurist in Residence
Eqogo

Dr. Sara Murdock is an award-winning, published executive with more than 20 years of experience applying social science research in real world organizations. She’s an expert in cultural futurism and has helped dozens of executives across industries understand the impact that their organizations are having now.

More recently, Dr. Murdock has been appointed as Futurist in Residence at Eqogo, a game-changing SaaS. Dr. Murdock and the Futures Index are crafting a much-needed update to the social sciences, which have long excluded women, BIPOC, people with disabilities and other marginalized voices form the research and frameworks that are used to assess and improve impact.

KIMBERLY RAVENELL
FINALIST
Partner
Withum

Kim Ravenell is the tax practice leader in Withum’s Encino office. She has over 25 years of experience providing tax planning and compliance services for high-net-worth individuals and closely held businesses of all sizes.

Since becoming a partner in 2021, Ravenell has led the tax department through regulation changes and challenges brought about by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, the CAREs Act and the Paycheck Protection Program. Over the years, she has mentored dozens of team members. An advocate for mentoring underrepresented groups, Ravenell is a leader of “Women of Withum’s” empowerment program.

WOMAN TO WATCH

JENNIFER DUET-HERNANDEZ
FINALIST
Sales Strategy Manager
Athens Services

Jennifer Duet-Hernandez, a San Fernando Valley native, has been in the waste and recycling industry for over 20 years. She has made remarkable achievements in the waste industry, a field traditionally dominated by men. As a Latina, she stands out not only for her professional excellence, but also for breaking barriers and paving the way for future generations.

Duet-Hernandez’s innovative approaches and leadership have significantly advanced sustainable recycling and waste practices, earning her recognition and respect from her peers. Beyond her professional accomplishments, Duet-Hernandez is a passionate mentor, inspiring and empowering other women, particularly women of color, in her industry.


ANNEKE GRECO
FINALIST
Executive Vice President
Colliers

Anneke Greco is an executive vice president based in Colliers’ Glendale office. With over 20 years of agency leasing, tenant representation and investment sales experience, Greco is a highly respected and knowledgeable expert in every facet of the commercial real estate lifecycle.

Leading a prestigious team of office experts, Greco calls upon her decade of market knowledge and robust network to cultivate deep client relationships and curate tailored real estate solutions for Class A properties across Greater Los Angeles. She is also actively involved in the National Charity League and serves on the Board of Trustees at Mayfield Senior School in Pasadena.


KELLY LAFFEY
FINALIST
Partner
Stubbs Alderton & Markiles, LLP

With more than a decade of experience in the legal field, Kelly Laffey’s practice focuses on advising emerging growth and middle market companies on issues related to corporate governance and formation, venture capital and other financings, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, cross-border transactions, employee compensation, complex stockholder and operating agreements and other general corporate matters.

Laffey’s clients are representative of the vibrant startup and middle market ecosystem and include companies in the technology, digital and entertainment, clean energy, healthcare, e-commerce, and manufacturing industries.

ERIN ROSS
FINALIST
CEO
Girls Inc. of Los Angeles

Like many organizations, Girls Inc. of Los Angeles struggled during the pandemic. CEO Erin Ross was hired in September 2021, charged by a largely new board to bring their once thriving programs back to life, reignite the organization’s fundraising efforts and set a new course for the future.

A non-profit veteran with more than 20 years’ experience, Ross brought her strategic mind, fundraising prowess and deep understanding of the LA community and school landscape to help turn the organization around. Additionally, Ross launched a signature event, “LA Girls Rise,” which took place just eight months after she began in the role.

Return to main event page

 

1...8910...3,066Page 9 of 3,066

11150 Santa Monica Boulevard, Suite 350
Los Angeles, CA 90025
323-549-5225

ADVERTISE WITH US

ABOUT US

Membership Center

OTHER JOURNALS

© Los Angeles Business Journal | Inside The Valley
(formerly San Fernando Valley Business Journal)