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PROFILES IN BUSINESS 2018 • IT’S YOUR STORY... TELL IT YOUR WAY.

UNITED STATES COLD STORAGE EXPANDS ITS FRESNO FACILITY

By Valerie Shelton, Reporter

This summer, United States Cold Storage Fresno com-pleted a 6.5 million cubic foot addition to its existing campus facilities.

With the recent expansion, the plant now has storage ca-pacity of over 90,000 individually racked pallet positions. A variety of fruit, nuts, meat, poultry, dairy, beverage and frozen food products made here in the agriculturally diverse Central Valley comprise a large and diversified customer base. The recent expansion added an additional 28,000 pallet positions. The additional cold storage space increased its convertible rooms from two to seven – meaning there are more areas where temperatures can be adjusted from -20 degrees to +34

degrees depending on the products to be stored.

Aside from size, the expansion has also al-lowed US Cold Storage to hire nearly 40 new employees, for a total of 150 at the Fresno lo-cation.

Rod Noll, the Senior Vice President for the Western Region, stated

“This is our fourth large-scale expansion for the Fresno facil-ity since 2007. The plant will be the company’s largest facil-ity within the US Cold network, and one of the largest cold storages in the country. This additional space will allow us to better serve many of our agricultural customers better.”

“Additionally, we’re seeing a real proliferation of new val-ue-added products like flavored nuts, organic foods and plant based foods and beverages, and that is creating a whole new segment for us we didn’t handle 10 years ago.”

The driving force behind their success, he said, stems large-

ly from the success of Central Valley food and beverage com-panies that are making a splash in the industry with new prod-uct lines featuring organic, plant-based, vegetarian/vegan and gluten-free options, for their consumers.

Of course, having a widening client base isn’t the only thing contributing to US Cold Storage’s growth. The company prides itself on its new generation facilities, which are the epitome of cleanliness, easing the minds of all in the food industry who are concerned more and more with food safety.

“We really pride ourselves on having a high sanitation level; it is built into our company culture,” Noll said. “We’re very cog-nizant of food safety and being aware of any possible cross contaminants or allergens. We have earned BRC certification, and what that means when a customer walks in and sees that certification on the wall is that they know we have gone through rigorous [food safety] requirements.”

Transportation of goods, for instance, is a huge challenge for many food companies, and that is why US Cold Storage offers a wide variety of transportation services.

“We have expanded our port-folio of transportation services. As an industry, logistics defines the connectedness of trans-portation and economics. Our transportation team is highly skilled with Import/Export and Drayage services through the Port of Oakland or the Port of Los Angeles. USDA Inspection Services are on-site and all rel-evant documents and labels are printed on behalf of our custom-ers.

The goal as US Cold Storage expands in these areas, Noll said, “is to continue working hand and glove with the food pro-cessing industry, providing superior customer service while helping our customers grow their market share.”

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INSIDE COVER US Cold Storage

2 Homebridge Financial

4 County of Madera

6 Guarantee Real Estate

8 Fresno Buick GMC

10 RV Liquidation Center

12 First Capitol Group

14 Johanson Transportation

16 Harris Construction

19 Fresno Pacific University

20 Visintainer Group

22 Quad Knopf, Inc.

24 Select Business Systems

26 Lawrence Engineering Group

27 Bella Vista Memory Care

28 Central California Bood Center

Sincerely,

Gordon M. Webster, Jr.Publisher

PUBLISHER’S NOTE

Welcome to the fifth edition of “Pro-files in Business,” which was designed to give local business owners an adver-tising opportunity to get their stories out to The Business Journal’s core audience. This publication consists of editorial de-scriptions of each company — commonly referred to as “advertorials” — that were completed within the company itself, or by a stable of The Business Journal’s freelance writers.

The profiles give our advertisers a chance to showcase products and services that our read-ers may not be familiar with, and to also share the unique stories that make up the character and personality of each successful business. We thank the participating companies for giving us a chance to share their story, and we also thank all of the other businesses that invested in this prod-uct with their advertising dollars. We believe the end result is a “who’s who” of the top companies in the Central Valley.

This year’s profiles, as did the prior four years’, make for interesting reading. They detail stories of genera-tional succession, adversity, perseverance and success. They are stories told exactly the way those involved want to tell them. I hope you enjoy reading this year’s edition of “Profiles in Business.”

To make the dream

of homeownership

a reality for every

customer, every day.

(559) 490-2711 (office)(559) 419-0727 (mobile) 7480 N Palm Ave Suite 103

Fresno, California 93711 www.homebridge.com/loan-originator/lisa-flores/

H omeBridge Financial has only been in Fresno two years, but is already having a tremendous impact.

In 2017 alone, HomeBridge Financial assisted 260 families with purchasing their dream homes.

For an office team of seven, this statistic is quite the feat in and of itself, but is made all the more impressive given the lender’s aggressive goal of closing home loans within 21 days—a goal loan officer Lisa Flores says the company is zeroing in on having completed most within an average of 30 to 35 days last year. For 2018, the team is also on track to complete over 300 loans.

Though new to the Central Valley, HomeBridge Finan-cial is well established on the East Coast, with its emerg-ing West Coast Division corporate office in Sherman Oaks. Plus, loan officers on the Fresno team have a combined 100 years of experience in the industry. This means local clients receive the same expertise and resources provided by a na-tional company, along with the attentive customer service of a smaller branch.

“The support HomeBridge Financial gives us, we are able to give back to the clients, who I think are really happy with our service,” Flores said. “We feel like we’re hitting the mark in providing the best customer experience, with our cus-tomers ranking their experience with us at 89%. Making us the 2nd highest positive rating in the country” What Home-bridge is bringing to the Fresno Market is a powerful mix of shorter escrows, shorter contingencies periods and a strong commitment to building lasting relationships.

For Flores, client education is also a No. 1 priority, espe-cially since she works with many first-time homebuyers un-familiar with the ins and outs of the loan approval process. Flores is committed to providing free homebuyer work-shops and seminars throughout the year. From the pre-

approval prior to shopping for a house, to the appraisal and navigating escrow, to the official signing of closing documents, Flores is dedicated to being there every step of the way, ensuring her clients are well informed about each aspect. “We understand buying a home is stressful, the #1 concern of all clients is if they will qualify. My job is to ensure them they are in the best care and we will help make their dream of being a homeowner a reality.”

“When I bought my home, I just remember thinking ‘when am I going to get my keys?’ but we have a lot of first-time homebuyers who want to know what ’s next and what to expect and we’re always very upfront with them,” Flores said. “Our clients feel that openness in communi-cation and that is what sets us apart.”

Flores is especially passionate about helping fellow millennials in the quest to homeownership.

“I remember no one really prepared me to buy a house and talk about what credit was, what a down payment was, what debt to income ratio looked like and what it meant to have a strong credit history,” Flores said. “I feel like millennials get overlooked because we’re dreamers and sometimes we’re not always given the benefit that we’ll figure it out , so I definitely identify with millennials for the fact that I am one and I’ve had the same struggle as some of my peers. Now that am in this industry, I want to help others who have been in my position.”

HomeBridge Financial also specializes in a variety of programs, from FHA to down payment assistance, to commercial loans and even some great broker programs that make home ownership a reality for those who would otherwise have difficulty affording a house. “Here at Homebridge we have virtually a product for every type of client.”

HOMEBRIDGE FINANCIAL TARGETS MILLENNIALS AND FIRST-TIME HOMEBUYERS

By Valerie Shelton, Reporter From Left to Right | Angel Santiago, Lisa Flores, Moises Magana, Myra Urena, Hector Figueroa, Mariana Cardona. Pablo Estrada

3PROFILES IN BUSINESS 2018 • IT’S YOUR STORY... TELL IT YOUR WAY.

S ince breaking off from Fresno County 125 years ago, Madera County has always been a little different.

From the controversial vote that created the coun-ty—its rumored some key Fresnans were tricked out of the room—to its diverse landscape of rural farmland and foothills that serve as the south gate to Yosemite, Madera County is a unique place to call home.

Wherever citizens reside, Madera County offers the unique benefit of direct access to county representatives via a 311 sys-tem managed within their customer service center. By dialing 311, residents and visitors can call via cell phone or landline any-where within the boundaries of Madera County during business hours and reach a person who will either address their concerns immediately, or transfer them directly to someone who can help.

Tom Wheeler, the county’s Chairman of the Board of Supervisors, describes the approach as “un-gov-ernmental” and said that “good customer service is a high priority throughout the organization and it’s what our residents deserve”.

The county has also launched a services request app which enables residents to submit service re-quests and report problems with their smart phones. Most common requests for service such as animal issues, code violations, road issues and more can be reported through the MadCoServices app or by go-ing to MadCoServices.com.

According to Eric Fleming, the county’s Chief Administrative Officer, Madera County was recognized by the National Associ-ation of Counties for their unique approach to customer service delivery. The 311 customer service center, along with its accom-panying user-friendly app, isn’t the only thing unconventional

about Madera County. Growth east of Madera,

in the county’s Rio Mesa area, is booming with the award winning Riverstone and Tesoro Viejo commu-nities and it’s clear that as Madera County celebrates its 125-year mark, a new city is in its infancy. In fact, Fleming said, county offi-cials recently secured the

Rio Mesa name from the US Postal Service to be used by ad-dresses in the area. If the area is incorporated in the future, it will likely be called the City of Rio Mesa. It’s not every day, Fleming said, that a county gets to construct a city from the ground up.

To encourage development, Madera County has a team that meets with each project proponent to assist in moving their proj-

ect through the process efficiently. If necessary, they use a variety of options to incentivize projects includ-ing in some cases revenue sharing. One particularly creative tool the county is using is Enhanced Infra-structure Financing Districts (EIFD) to help pay for project infrastructure upfront by way of bonds that are later reimbursed by impact fees as development occurs. There are two such districts in Rio Mesa.

Though there are at times incentives to expedite projects, the county does not sacrifice quality or good planning principles. Fleming said projects must still meet high standards. For example, in both Riverstone and Tesoro Viejo, Madera County required developers to offset the amount of water used by incorporating recycling such as purple pipe

systems and other methods to capture runoff and recharge the groundwater. The two communities were also required to con-struct new fire and sheriff facilities and fund new fire engines and patrol vehicles in addition to paying for additional staffing.

While residential development is on the rise, Madera County is also working to attract businesses and jobs.

A $20 million hotel project for corporate training and retreats is in the works near Oakhurst, and Madera County is excited a health care hotspot is developing near Rio Mesa with Com-munity Regional Medical Center’s next medical complex slated at Avenue 12 and Highway 41, not far from the county’s current top employer, Valley Children’s Hospital. Fleming said the county also hopes to entice industrial companies with the creation of a new industrial park at Avenue 7 and Highway 99.

Fleming credits a unified supportive Board and an excellent management team for their successes in delivering good ser-vice and developing the county economy.

MADERACOUNTYPROVIDES UNCONVENTIONAL SERVICE


From Left to Right | Board of Supervisors: Robert L. Poythress, District 3, Max Rodriguez, District 4, Tom Wheeler, District 5, David Rogers, District 2, Brett Frazier, District 1

Eric Fleming, Chief Administrative Officer


The Rich History of Guarantee

T he name “Guarantee” has been a trusted brand for almost 100 years. You’d be surprised to know that when Guarantee was established in 1919, it wasn’t a

real estate company, but it served as a savings and loan bank - Fresno Guarantee Building Loan Association. The primary focus of the bank was to serve the community of Central Cali-fornia in the most excellent way, by helping residents obtain mortgage loans.

The Guarantee brand itself became historically popular throughout the valley, because it stood for the business prin-ciples of trust and integrity. Today, these values remain the solid foundation on which the brand continues to operate.

“We are proud of our heritage, and we take pride in know-ing that Guarantee is responsible for introducing many of the firsts to the Valley.” Said Andy Nazaroff, CEO of Guarantee Real Estate. One of the firsts that Andy recalls is the early ATM machines, which required a new punch card each time a $25 withdrawal was made.

Fast forward to more than 60 years later, Guarantee Sav-ings understood that changes were necessary for commu-nity growth and business opportunity. As the need for real estate services grew, the “Guarantee” brand grew as well. In 1984 Guarantee Real Estate was established, and in 1985 J. Scott Leonard was announced as its President/CEO.

Guarantee Real Estate started with only 40 Associates and two office locations. The company thrived by recruiting the best Realtors® who pledged to provide high-quality services. Using the well-established reputation of the brand, and ad-herence to integrity, ethics, and high moral standards, Guar-antee Real Estate became successful and earned the reputa-tion as the leading company in the market.

Guarantee Real Estate has remained a dominant partici-pant in the valley’s real estate industry. Through the years it has exemplified the passion for growth as each opportunity is presented. Almost 30 years ago, as the market continued to change with time, Scott Leonard set out to expand the brand. In 1991 he partnered with Joan Eaton and Paul Gib-son to purchase Guarantee Real Estate. For over 20 years the

GUARANTEE BRAND CELEBRATES 100 YEARS IN 2019

company has continued to rank number one in real estate, year after year.

Before retirement, the three partners searched for greater opportunities to enhance the services offered at Guarantee. By the end of 2015, Scott, Joan, and Paul were fully retired, and Guarantee Real Estate became a wholly-owned subsid-iary of HomeServices of America, Inc., a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate. HomeServices is the second-largest full-service in-dependent residential real estate brokerage firm in the Unit-ed States.

The Passing of the Baton to a New VisionaryThe evolve of a new era had emerged at Guarantee, and

the time had come to move the company forward. In 2016 Andy Nazaroff was announced as the company’s CEO, and he is now more than ever confident in the new production that Guarantee will add to the industry. Andy’s vision is to in-crease the brand beyond its original flow and capacity. Guar-antee, with over 400 agents, has participated in over 10,000 real estate transactions in the last three years!

Today, while the company continues to thrive by adopting innovative business ideas, it remains one of the Valley’s big-gest supporters though its charitable giving and community outreach projects. In recent years Guarantee Real Estate has partnered with Habitat for Humanity, The Central Valley Food Bank, and dozens of other charitable organizations. In fact, in the last ten years alone, Guarantee has contributed over $500,000 to ensure that the Valley is an even more desirable place to live.

The company will continue to align itself with the values that were established by its predecessors. More importantly, it will continue to develop new ways to educate, enhance, and provide convenience to its Sales Associates.

The Sales Associates® are the Assets of Guarantee“The reason clients continue to trust Guarantee is the dedi-

cated people who work at Guarantee,” Andy said. “We can have a conversation all day about how technology has ad-vanced the way in which we do business, but the reality is this business is a relationship business.”

Andy NazaroffBy Leverne Brown

6 PROFILES IN BUSINESS 2018 • IT’S YOUR STORY... TELL IT YOUR WAY.

http://www.homeservices.com/

http://www.homeservices.com/

Guarantee’s motive behind the relationship it shares with their Associates is to develop a sense of loyalty, so that they can continue to achieve long term engagement, constant interaction, and build strong connections with their clients. Andy explained that “supporting agents is the utmost impor-tance, as they are Guarantee’s only assets.”

“Four or five years ago there was a mantra I saw at a lot of the different industries, ‘it’s one thing to be high tech, but you can’t lose high touch,’ and I’ve really adopted that. Technol-ogy does not replace relationships, but if you leverage tech-nology in the right way, it will allow you to make the best use of your time,” said Andy. The Future of Guarantee

One of the changes that Guarantee Real Estate anticipates in the coming months is the transition of its home office. While the home office staff waits for construction to be com-pleted in Northwest Fresno, they have set up a temporary office at Guarantee’s River Park branch.

“I wanted our Administrative Staff to be amongst the agents and to have the working knowledge of a branch office. Deep-

er connections and relationship building has been the height of our temporary stay. The energy that comes from the office is just phenomenal, and I can’t wait to see the after effect when we move to our permanent building,” said Andy.

As the centennial year approaches for the brand, and a new era begins, Andy expressed how fortunate he is with the position he holds.

“I’m blessed to have been able to inherit a wonderful brand that holds true to its reputation,” he said. “It’s our mission at Guarantee Real Estate to be the premier provider of the real estate experience around the home sale transaction. This great company has inherited amazing integrity and values that allow us to provide an incomparable service to Valley residents. We call those values E.P.I.C. (Ethical, Professional, Innovative, and Caring),” said Andy.

The E.P.I.C. values describe who Guarantee is as a com-pany, and who it seeks to attract. “Our objective is not to just help residents sell or buy a home, it’s also to help them se-cure mortgage financing, assist them through the period of escrow, and to eventually help them obtain property insur-ance.”


EXPERIENCE THE BESTSALES & SERVICE

IT’S A NEW DAY, IT’S A NEW TEAM, IT’S A NEW SPIRIT AT FRESNO BUICK GMC

5515 N BLACKSTONE AVE, FRESNO, CA (559) 431-2020 • FRESNOBUICKGMC.COM

F resno Buick GMC is under new management, but the name Rich Wass isn’t an unfamiliar one to clients of the popular car, truck and SUV dealer-

ship. Wass is a Clovis native known for his love of athlet-

ics and competition, playing every sport he can get his hands on. He has taken that coaching and philosophy he learned at a young age and applied it to his current busi-ness practices. He worked as a general sales manager at the Blackstone branch from 2002 to 2010, when the dealership had the coveted No. 1 spot as the best-selling dealership in Northern California.

An experienced salesman, having worked solidly in the industry since 1994, Wass returned to Fresno Buick GMC at the end of August as the dealership’s general manager. Now, he has his sights set on bringing Fresno Buick GMC back to the top.

“My goal is lofty, but I will not sleep until I get it to that point ,” he said. “From a sales standpoint , being No. 1 in Northern California here in Fresno is huge because it includes the Bay Area and we used to outsell all those stores. I really want that back.”

Rather than focusing solely on sales, however, Wass said he is approaching the goal by ensuring the dealer-ship provides the best customer service after the sale is made. To do that , Wass said, Fresno Buick GMC is re-vamping its parts and service department.

“Let ’s face it , we’re in the age of information and if someone goes online and looks for an Acadia, they are going to find the best price before they even come in here, so the sale is really the easy part ,” Wass said. “The hard part is after that. I’m from this area so I know word of mouth is everything and what you’re getting with me when you buy from here is the best customer service. It doesn’t matter whether you buy a new car or a T-shirt .”

While the service department already provides typi-cal maintenance services like oil changes, Wass said the dealership is working toward providing detailing servic-

FRESNO BUICK GMC REACHES FOR THE TOP WITH RICH WASS AS GM


es as well. Additionally, customers with vehicles in need of major repair who are unable to bring the car to the shop can have it picked up from their home or office and delivered back once repairs are completed.

Wass is also focused on making Fresno Buick GMC a great community partner.

“We’ve got five fundraisers already lined up,” he said. “I’ve done two golf tournaments since I’ve been back here and I have three more that are slated through the end of the year. The Bear Bash, Buchanan’s big fundraiser, is an example of the types of sponsorships the dealership likes to participate in and support. That is a big one for us as a community because there are 1,000 people out there and everyone in that area is going to drive our product. My kids are in that system so we wanted to be a part of that.”

The dealership’s philanthropic efforts are not only good for the community, but boosts morale for the Fresno Buick GMC team of 56 employees.

“It ’s not about me or organizations, it ’s about people,” Wass said. “I treat my staff like a football team…There is no hierarchy. From the detailer to the general manager, we’re all in this thing together.”


RV LIQUIDATION CENTER HELPS FAMILIES MAKE MEMORIES

The automotive/recreational vehicle industry has a long history of being dominated by men. Despite the fact that women make up nearly half of the

U.S. workforce, the number of women working at dealer-ships is minimal. The number of women in leadership at those dealerships is downright scarce. Danielle Sullins, owner and operator of the new RV Liquidation Center in Clovis, is fully aware of that history. In fact , she’s grown up right in the middle of it . Yet she is undaunted by it; maybe even fueled by it , as she focuses on helping her customers get out and make memories of their own.

“I have three girls and I teach them that women can do anything,” Sullins said. “That is my philosophy and I look at it as a challenge. I do have customers come in and ask to talk to a salesperson and I have to explain to them that I am the salesperson,” Sullins revealed.

“I’ve known Danielle since she was a kid,” explained Scott Pattie, Vice President of Strategic Dealer Servic-es. She could always sell. Regardless of who else was on staff, she would consistently generate 75-80% of the sales.”

Sullins was empowered at a young age by her father, Dan Kuehne, who has worked in the RV sales industry for nearly 40 years. He encouraged Sullins to try her hand in the industry and she dove head first into online RV sales. She enjoyed such success selling on websites like eBay that she was hired by former local mega dealer Paul Evert as an online sales representative. Then, in 2005, Danielle and her father branched out on their own, amassing deal-erships in Madera, as well as in Quartzsite and Parker, Arizona.

Though there were struggles along the way, especially during the economic downturn that marred the U.S. just a few years in to their independent journey, Sullins said faith got the family through the ups and downs. Pattie recalls that it was Danielle who powered the dealership through tough times. “She kept the business alive selling units.”

As soon as the economy was restored, and they were

back on solid footing, Sullins decided it was time to branch out on her own and open her own RV dealership in her beloved hometown of Clovis.

“We had our eye on this location for quite a while and thought it would be an excellent space,” Sullins said of the newly opened RV Liquidation Center at 984 W. Shaw in Clovis. “If you drive around Clovis, you will see RVs everywhere. People have them parked in their backyards and the storage facilities are full. There are waiting pe-riods to get RVs in there, so it ’s clear that the people of Clovis do use them a lot for camping.”

Currently, the RV Liquidation Center is showcasing around 150 units, both towable and motorized. Though the name may suggest a specialization in used recreational vehicles, Sullins said the majority is new, but simply sold at liquidation prices far less than competing dealerships.

“A lot of dealers go off of MSRP and above, but we just try to turn over our inventory quickly and don’t hold out for huge margins of profit ,” Sullins said. “That is why we thought the liquidation center name fit us.”

RV Liquidation Center carries the top brand RVs in the


nation, including Cherokee, Rockwood, Wildwood and Forest River models, ranging in price from $13,000 to around $50,000.

Aside from selling RVs, RV Liquidation Center is the largest RV rental company in the Central Valley. Rentals start at $135 per day for a minimum of three days. Sullins said this service is great for families wanting to enjoy just one trip or those wanting to try before they buy. Those who ultimately decide to purchase an RV after renting also have the added perk of having their rental fees apply toward their down payment.

Sullins said the goal is to keep the RVs in their inven-tory affordable for families.

“The demographic is traditionally 40 to 70-year-olds, but a lot of young families are buying RVs now,” Sull-ins said. “Statistics show that millennials are wanting to make memories instead of just working, working, work-ing, and that ’s why we went with ‘Memories Made Here’ as a motto, because here you can afford an RV or a trailer without those high markup prices, and be able to take your family out and go camping. Those are memories that will last a lifetime.”

It ’s apparent when stepping into the Clovis sales of-fice that providing a family atmosphere is of utmost im-portance at RV Liquidation Center, as right upfront is a space filled with games and toys where young children can play while their parents shop. The décor is also re-flective of the Clovis Way of Life, which above all else is family-friendly.

“Instead of going after customers and hounding them with credit and pricing, we’re looking at the whole picture

and the family atmosphere is what we’re going for,” Sul-lins said.

So far, the family approach is working. In just their first month opening the doors, RV Liquidation Center had sold 30 RVs and those sales numbers continue to grow.

As owner, Sullins is responsible not only for sales, but for purchasing all the inventory, posting it online, and as-sisting buyers with financing. Her favorite aspect of the job, though—aside perhaps outselling her male counter-parts, is helping people get out and experience life to the fullest.

“I like to see people get approved so they can go and make memories with their families,” Sullins said. “I like to see that they are going to be able to enjoy time with their family by being able to take out an RV.”


BRENDAN J. FARRELLMortgage Consultant559-799-9054

[email protected]

119 E. Main Street • Visalia, CA 93291 NMLS #294123 Branch NMLS #1731222

FIRST CAPITAL GROUP HOME LOANS | LOAN OFFICER BRENDAN FARRELL REVAMPS DOWNTOWN VISALIA BRANCH

Downtown Visalia, with its bustling retail shops and numerous eateries, may not seem the typical locale for a home loan office, but for loan officer Brendan

Farrell, who recently opened his own First Capital Group | Home Loans branch, the space is ideal.

Farrell aims for his clients’ comfort, catering to borrowers from all income levels. From starter homes to mansions, his goal is to match his clients with a loan program that meets their long-term financial goals.

“What we are trying to do is bring mainstream lending back downtown,” Farrell said. “I’m trying to create an environment people feel comfortable walking into.”

Hanging in the loan office window is a clear series of fold-ers showcasing information about different homes for sale in the area, as well as educational materials about down pay-ment assistance and other programs available. Once inside, the small office exhibits a clean, modern-meets-farmhouse vibe, with a rustic wooden accent wall serving as the focal point.

Farrell’s branch offers all types of home loans indicative of a loan office, including Conventional, FHA, VA and USDA loans, and is a direct Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac lender. And, for those first-time homebuyers, his office has access to various down payment assistance programs.

Farrell also brings 28 years of experience to his clients, having worked for several national lending companies prior to starting his First Capital Group | Home Loans branch this year.

The Central Valley, Farrell said, is a unique market with sub-divisions scattered between agricultural acreage, and new homes neighboring old ones. It’s also tricky because any-thing above $300,000 can be considered a higher income

property in the Visalia area, with a majority of the population working for slightly more than minimum wage.

“People here have full-time jobs, but they are making $12-$15 an hour, so a lot of people come through and think buying a home is completely ‘pie in the sky’ when the payment for their rent might be $1,150 and the home they are looking at would be $1,200 to $1,300,” Farrell said. “The community we have here isn’t necessarily into the tax benefits, but they want the pride of home ownership. That is what I try to teach when I do my transactions because most of them are just starting out and this is their one and only or maybe one of two homes they will ever own.”

Farrell doesn’t set monthly quotas because his mission is to educate and not shortchange any client, Even if it’s appar-ent a client is not ready for home ownership yet, Farrell said he will take his time recommending steps they can take to improve their credit and prepare for home ownership in the future.

The ultimate goal, he said, is ensuring once his client does get a home that they can afford to stay there.

“I want to make sure my client is still in their house five years down the road because if I do that correctly, then their kids will come back and their families will come back,” Farrell said. “That is the track record I have.”



T he freight capacity crunch has continued into 2018, with available equipment and qualified carri-ers more challenging to locate than ever. The cur-

rently tight conditions are creating a new business climate, and prospective clients JTS approached in the past are more open than ever to having conversations. JTS’ ability to pro-vide the freight transportation their customers need and the above-and-beyond service they want, makes them more will-ing to work with them and is helping to grow their customer base and increase customer retention. Customers appreciate the quick responsiveness to issues, easy access to tracing, monitoring of their freight and confirming everything is done correctly.

As regulations constantly change in the freight industry, JTS customers are becoming more reliant on JTS as a value-added resource for them to keep informed and to learn how they can adapt their business in these changing times.

For example, the ELD Mandate has been fully in force since April 1, and it has placed full accountability on truckers to conform to the Hours-of-Service rule. Therefore, shippers are forced to adapt. JTS is advising customers to take a close look at their current shipping lanes, consolidations, schedule freight as far in advance as possible and look at detention practices that will help carriers maximize their on-duty hours. JTS’ customers also appreciate suggestions on how they can maintain good carrier relationships to ensure they can do business smarter. With proper planning, these mandates don’t have to cause major setbacks.

Internally JTS is improving technological, staffing and op-erational efficiencies to help them better support their cus-tomers. These productivity gains are speeding up the invoic-ing cycle and reducing errors as well as making JTS’ ability to process new carrier partners faster than ever. They have also adjusted staffing needs to help find equipment to cover their customers’ loads to meet the demands of the capacity shortage.

To maintain outstanding service to their customers, the JTS SAC Team (Strategic Action Committee) works in tandem

with their information technology department to optimize the speed and efficiency in their operating procedures as well as improve how information is shared internally and externally. By streamlining their business processes with the latest tech-nology available, their staff saves time in performing labori-ous tasks, which frees them up to concentrate on their core business – communicating with customers and coordinating their freight in the most effective and cost-conscious manner possible.

Customer-driven technologyFreightOptixx™ cloud-based TMS continues to offer top-of-

class Transportation Management functionality. For real-time connectivity they have migrated to an API connection, which is faster than EDI. They have also added the functionality to seamlessly rate Less-than-Truckload freight with dimension-al rate programs for imported goods from other countries. Additionally, they have improved the functionality of the full truckload process to allow for multiple pick-up consolidation and real-time tracking with Macropoint. Also added was a driver check-in option that keeps track of how long a driver is on site and provides alerts if a driver is near detention.

JTS is also currently developing new technology to onboard carrier partners with less manual touch points. The time effi-

GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND TO SUPPORT CUSTOMERS IN A VOLATILE FREIGHT MARKET


ciencies gained render faster service for their customers.Since its initial launch, JTS has made new enhance-

ments and improvements to the carrier functionality of the TMS. The carrier portal, for use on any mobile device, can be added to the carrier ’s smart phone, which is faster and easier than downloading an app. Every time the por-tal is used, it automatically brings up the most current version without any need for software upgrades. The por-tal will have new features in late 2018. Currently carriers can easily view available JTS loads, enter tracking infor-mation, enter available equipment by regions of the coun-try, report load issues and emergencies, check mileage and fuel prices, and view payment status on their loads.

A charitable company at its heartThe corporate philosophy at JTS is to give back to the

communities in which they serve. JTS strongly believes in supporting charitable causes and those in need all year long, and the holidays are no exception. JTS has made sizeable donations to Toys for Tots for several years. The Fresno office typically adopts a family at the holidays and supplies many of their household goods, furniture, cloth-ing and toys as a special gift to the family. Each of the regional offices donates their money and time to helping needy people in their communities.

In 2018, JTS has been active in spreading awareness of the crisis of human trafficking in cooperation with TAT – Truckers Against Trafficking – to influence the thousands of carriers in their network to educate and equip their drivers in identifying and reporting crime in their daily work on our highways and truck stops. The drivers’ eyes on the ground can make a difference in helping find and rescue victims and arresting the perpetrators of these ap-palling crimes.

JTS made a significant donation to the TAT organization and is conducting an awareness drive, including distribu-tion of informational packets to their carriers and ship-ping customers with a plea to join in the fight to support this cause. JTS is also asking their key industry partners to become a financial supporter of TAT and to help pro-mote awareness among their members.

Other efforts include reaching out to the JTS carrier base to ask them to participate in TAT training. To date, the TAT organization has trained 622,050 truck drivers to learn how to identify and report suspected trafficking in-cidents to the proper authorities.

JTS will also be coordinating with TAT to help with vol-unteer events that help raise funds for the organization and partnering with carriers to get involved in charitable events benefiting TAT.

“Together we can make a positive impact on our world. While we are only a small part of it , the opportunity is given to each of us, and our response to that opportunity can make a great deal of difference to people who have no champions. We are so privileged to have the finan-cial resources to continue our philanthropic work, and we owe our customers a debt of gratitude for making that possible”, says President/CEO Larry Johanson. “As part of

the freight transportation industry, we are proud to support Truckers Against Trafficking and be part of the solution to end human trafficking. By working in tandem with organi-zations like TAT, who are dedicated to the cause, we have hope in dismantling the immoral and dehumanizing crimi-nality of human trafficking and bring justice to its victims.”

This year, JTS mobilized their employees to officially part-ner with local charitable organizations to help make a dif-ference. The #JTSCares team was launched with the goal of uniting JTS employees with the community. “We are excited to have the opportunity to give back to the community with a hands-on approach, and our goal is to be able to volun-teer at least once a quarter. We believe it will benefit our employees as individuals, and enhance the culture, morale, and unite employees towards reaching a common goal,” says committee chairwoman Judy Arke.

In May, the #JTSCares team went to the Grizzlies baseball “Making the Grade” day, which JTS also sponsored, allow-ing students with good grades to attend the game and have lunch at no cost. This year was the biggest and most suc-cessful Making the Grade event to date. With JTS’ help, they were able to bring out 20,053 students; schools as far out as Merced, Chowchilla and Huron were in attendance.

In September, volunteers were busy gathering backpacks and school supplies to support the students at Alvina El-ementary Charter School in Caruthers.

In the month of October, #JTSCares volunteers dedicat-ed their efforts to the Fresno Fair “Feed the Need” Food Drive. Donations were presented prior to the fair ’s opening day with every dollar donated generating seven meals.

The bedrock of successSo, what makes JTS able to stay in the top echelon of

third-party logistics providers? Besides having the same leadership in place for nearly five decades, President/CEO Larry Johanson gives the nod to the commitment to con-tinual process improvement, driven by their talented staff.

“I believe the formula for JTS’ success is our determina-tion to pursue improvements for greater efficiencies in our business model, making time to collaborate and seeking new methods to achieve the next level of excellence in our customer service. It is how we have become an important resource for our customers over the years by providing ad-ditional value and cutting-edge technology to help them do their business more productively”, says Johanson.

“Driving that success are the many inspired, breakthrough ideas our talented staff have generated from the very be-ginning, and that remains the same today. I am deeply ap-preciative to have an experienced group of visionary em-ployees, several with more than 20 years of tenure, who are committed to serving our customers with professional freight transportation management”, Johanson continues.

“I also am grateful to our clientele – in particular, those who have allowed JTS to serve them for over a quarter of a century. We get caught up in the ‘business’ of doing busi-ness, and we forget to acknowledge the amazing relation-ships we have with our customers in the marketplace.”


Our Valley: Building More Schools than Ever Before

Aerial View of Madera Unified School District’s newest school project: Matilda Torres High School. The 277,000 sq. ft campus over 55 acres will be completed in late 2020. This will be the third high school for MUSD in Madera, CA. Inset photo: Assistant Project Manager, Stephen Hamett, with Harris Construction - standing in front of some of the first steel to go up on the Matilda Torres High School project.

Harris Construction - Trusted Builder for Central California Schools

Harris Construction Co., Inc. is the longest-running builder of educational facilities in the Central Valley. Based in Fresno and locally owned since 1914, Harris has built - or modernized - hundreds of Valley schools. In the past 25 years, Harris has completed more than 100 of those education-related facilities and the company is going full-steam-ahead with exciting proj-ects up and down the Valley.

“With the improving economy over the past decade, we’re seeing not only a bigger volume of school projects but also larger-scale school projects needing to be built throughout the

Central Valley,” said Stephen Hamett, Assistant Project Man-ager for Harris Construction. Hamett is currently on the new Matilda Torres High School project in Madera (Madera Uni-fied School District), working under Project Manager Michael Marsh.

“In years past, schools were focused on updating and mod-ernizing, so there were lots of small- and medium-sized proj-ects throughout the construction industry,” said Hamett, “of which most any construction company could handle. Now we are seeing a lot of bigger, new campus projects coming in, which I believe Harris is especially well-suited to do.

“On the Matilda Torres High School project alone, we have 120-130 workers onsite on a daily basis; in 1-3 months we’ll have 350-400 people on this jobsite every day. It takes an ex-perienced construction firm like ours to manage projects of that scale. I feel Harris is the perfect size for building a large volume of public works projects. We’re really set up to handle complex projects with ease and know-how. We have a terrific back-office support group handling payroll and subcontractor labor regulations (including certified payroll and skilled labor compliance), plus a talented team of craftspeople, dedicated management, a strong financial backing, and great working relationships with local suppliers. And our clients love working with us!

“We also have a number of other large-scale public projects


being built simultaneously up and down the Valley, including Tilley Elementary (Central Unified) and a new high school for Sanger Unified to name a few.”

Hamett knows construction. He’s the third generation in his family to be in the industry. He got his start at the age of six – when he verbally “popped off” to his grandmother. The next morning his father drove him to Fresno Ag Hardware where his dad purchased a push broom, cut it down to size, and little Hamett swept and cleaned the day away on his dad’s jobsite.

School Computer Lab & Auto Facilities, plus the Energy Cen-ter at Buchanan), and Fresno. These new vocational schools often have acronym names like STEM, STEAM, or TECH (with emphasis on Science, Technology, Art, Ag, Engineering, and Math) and are generally for 5th - 12th grade students.

One of the newest Career Tech facilities built by Harris opened last month in Fresno at the Kermit Koontz Education Complex: The Career Tech Education Charter (CTEC) for the Fresno County Superintendent of Schools. Gerad Hudler (As-sistant Superintendent to Project Manager Joe Vasquez) and the Harris team especially enjoyed working on this project, partly because of the new technology involved - and partly because the future teachers and their excited students kept sneaking in to see their new classrooms.

“The kids (and I) are so excited about this new facility,” said Hudler. “The interactive equipment we installed in this building for them is amazing – including 3-D printers, ro-bots, welding stations, metal shop machinery, rolling work tables, tools… even heavy-construction equipment simu-lators. (Ok, I admit, I even tried one of the simulators – and they are like the real deal. While you are looking into 3-4 monitors to “see” the tractor you are manipulating, your seat vibrates and jolts as your virtual-tractor bucket hits the virtual-ground – just as if you were on a real jobsite!) These students are going to gradu-ate from high school with vo-

Career-Tech and S.T.E.M./S.T.E.A.M facilities are being built on multiple campuses throughout the Central Valley by Harris Construction. This CTEC facility is on the Kermit Koontz Education Complex in Fresno, CA, and opened its doors to students last month.

Sixteen years later, Hamett received his degree in Construc-tion Management from Fresno State. That little broom was more than a lesson; it was the start of an amazing career.

Another area of construction growth in the Valley is techni-cal and career education facilities where students learn about the trades, and to work not only with their minds, but with their hands.

Harris has built numerous Career/Tech schools in the Val-ley, including in Merced, Dinuba, Caruthers, Clovis (Clovis High

Vocational high school students get a sneak-peek into their future classroom at CTEC (and a quick nailing lesson from their instructor). The Career Tech Educa-tion Charter is part of the Fresno County Superintendent of Schools.

Continued on next page>>>

Assistant Superintendent, Gerad Hudler, handed off the newly-com-pleted CTEC facility last month to the Fresno County School of Superinten-dents and team at the Kermit Koontz Education Center.


cational knowledge AND experience of which many adults will be envious.

“School construction is also becoming more technical; there’s hardly a ceiling tile without a device in it. We’re using GPS to layout new jobs, there are “Columbine” locks on doors, school security and safety is now part of every school project. And the regulations we follow to build projects are longer than ever. I like that Harris is a solid company that can help keep us informed and educated on the new codes and interpretations of the ever-changing rules, especially those from DSA (Divi-sion of the State Architect; the regulatory agency for all school construction). Smaller construction companies don’t have the resources or safety/risk personnel to help me do a better job for clients in these areas. I don’t know that I could do my job anywhere else as well as I do it here. I am fully supported at Harris.

“And what a great work environment. I look forward to work every day (especially when we do concrete pours!). I am bus-ier at Harris than anywhere I’ve worked - and I like that. I like our employee events, too. I truly feel blessed to work here.”

With many other large-scale construction projects going on in the Valley - including re-alignment of Highway 99, California High Speed Rail, and other big public works projects - labor and materials are becoming scarce for many local construc-tion companies and subcontractors.

“The pool of experienced construction labor available to work in the Valley right now is small,” said Geno James, Senior Project Manager at Harris Construction. “I know some con-struction companies are having a difficult time hiring skilled workers due to so many projects absorbing the talent. With Harris, we have a core group of management that’s been around for a long time - 10, 15, 20, 25+ years. Our clients build a rapport with us - we build relationships with them throughout the building of their projects - they know they can trust us with their most critical and complex projects and that we have the dedicated and long-term staff to do it.

“Due to the recent glut of construction going on, many con-tractors are also having to make early payments to reserve pricing and installation dates for subcontractors, concrete, steel, and materials. If you can’t pay early, you’re not going

to get the items or installers you need when you need them. Luckily Harris has the buying power and can do this for its cli-ents, but smaller construction firms would be hard pressed to pay out large sums of money in advance to reserve pricing and installation dates. It is critical for us to stay on time and on budget for our customers.

“Like Hamett and Hudler, I too grew up in a family devoted to construction. I even started out with a jobsite broom over my summer vacations. Once at Fresno State though, I became interested in architecture… but then realized that Construction Management was the best degree for me. I’ve been with Harris ever since I graduated and I’ve seen a lot of changes in these past 16 years.

“School construction is changing, as campuses are becom-ing more tech-savvy, and architects are designing more com-plex and interesting educational facilities. Gone are the days of chalkboards and blurry overhead projectors on a table. Now we’re building entire-wall white boards with web-based, ceil-ing mounted projectors that accept any input device, integrat-ed sound, self-set thermostats in every room, site security, and campus intrusion protection. Floors are polished concrete, and maintenance is planned out far in advance to reduce costs. Energy management systems run water-energy and solar panels. We’re building schools that are interactive, safe, sus-tainable, and beautiful.

“Our school projects are so unique and inspirational - I would have loved to attend them when I was a student! It really makes me – and the en-tire team at Harris – proud to be the trusted builders of such incredible campuses through-out the Valley. We appreciate your trust and look forward to building your upcoming proj-ects.”

Harris Construction also specializes in building food- and dairy-processing plants, hospitals, private facilities, and civic campuses. This project is a 2-story, 63,000 sf. ft. detention center being built in Sonora, CA. Senior Project Manager, Geno James, is leading the team on this Harris project.

Harris Construction continued >>>

Senior Project Manager, Geno James, has been with Harris Construction for 16 years and has built seven schools in that time.


Over 80 percent of Fresno Pacific professors hold doctorates, and small class sizes assure students of personal interaction with these master professors. Our alumni talk about the lifelong relationships established with faculty at FPU.

Fresno Pacific’s wide variety of activities educate students as whole individuals. Sunbird athletic teams compete in 15 sports and have won national championships in women’s volleyball, men’s and women’s tennis and men’s swimming. Several FPU baseball and soccer alums have moved on to play professionally. We compete in Division II of the NCAA in the Pacific West Conference. Our vocal and instrumental music ensembles perform in the community, and theater offers musicals, comedy and drama. Whatever their major, students are encouraged to participate, and scholarships are available.

As a Christian institution affiliated with the Mennonite Brethren Church, our programs emphasize values, ethics and character development. U.S. News & World Report ranks FPU in its top tier among regional universities—West, and U.S. News and Washington Monthly includes us on their best-value lists. See what can happen when anything could.

Fresno Pacific University is the only fully accredited independent four-year Christian university founded in the Central Valley. “Possible happens here” for more than 4,200 students—from traditional-age undergraduates and seminarians to adults returning to school for bachelor’s and master’s degrees—on our main campus in Southeast Fresno and regional campuses in North Fresno, Visalia, Bakersfield and Merced as well as online. We also offer continuing education to more than 8,000 professionals nationally.

Our graduates know their FPU degree is valuable in starting a career or pursuing grad school. Students come from a variety of backgrounds and many are the first in their families to attend college. Fresno Pacific is a Hispanic Serving Institution and has the highest Hispanic enrollment in the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities. International students from 40 countries add to our diversity.

FPU’s four-year graduation rate, the highest in the region, includes our Hispanic and first-generation students. We also offer four-year and two-year graduation guarantees to qualified undergraduate students. For students nearing graduation, internships offer a gateway to careers.

1717 S. Chestnut Ave. | Fresno, CA 93702 | 559-453-2000

fpu.edu

POSSIBLE HAPPENS HERE

First-Generation Graduation Rate53%

Athletic Teams15Ensembles13

Graduation Guarantee4yr


9 River Park Place East, Suite 440, Fresno, CA 93720

visintainergroup.com

Rare Air:These are some of the

mountains we’ve climbed

since 2014:

97%

Averages 97% of asking

price on all listings sold

$237mClients have trusted us with $237 million of sales volume

8Those transactions have served

clients across eight states

72We have completed 72 successful

investment transactions

Climb higher.

The Visintainer Group is an elite real estate investment firm locked in on your aspirations.

The Visintainer Group works to maximize your investment’s

value, increase your cash flow, and reach your commercial real-

estate goals. Our experts broker the acquisition and disposition

of retail, office, industrial, and multi-family properties. We focus

on your unique requirements and ambitions, pairing that with

our proven research model and a deep understanding of regional

markets and investment strategies.

Keep what you’ve earned with a 1031 ExchangeUsing funds from the sale of one profit-making property to

purchase another can help defer capital gains taxes while

producing more on your investments. We can show you the

why, how and when.

Every seller’s property has a story Maximize your investment with expert advice and analysis.

We evaluate properties, create marketing plans, analyze profit-

making capabilities and identify investors using an extensive

proprietary database and personal expertise. That said,

relationships are and will always be our most powerful

investment tool.

THE VISINTAINER EDGE

T he Visintainer Group is an elite advisory and brokerage firm specializing in commercial real estate investment solutions. Employing care-

fully researched data and a deep understanding of both regional markets and investment strategies, they use a prov-en model to maximize value, increase cash flow and achieve investor objectives. Their experts broker the acquisition and disposition of retail, office, industrial, and multi-family prop-erties.

You see the difference when you first meet Brett Visin-tainer. He’s affable, sincere and the kind of guy you’d invite out for a beer. He’ll make you laugh and listen to you whole-heartedly. It’s not small talk – it’s Brett getting to know you as a person first and a business person second. He’ll find out what you need to achieve, but more important, why you want to achieve it. He’s built the Visintainer Group to give clients a personal advantage. He knows that takes a personal ap-proach.

You’ll know the company by the manBrett came to Fresno in 2000 to attend college and play

football. He was the kicker for the Fresno State Bulldogs from 2000 to 2004 and then with the Dallas Cowboys. Career-end-ing back surgery shortened his NFL career, and he returned to Fresno to turn a new page. An elite athlete who played a position that was as much mental as physical, he always pre-pared with intense focus. The same discipline applied as he approached real estate.

In 2007 he began specializing in leasing and selling office buildings. Learning tenant and occupant perspective helped him to transition to work on investment properties.

Brett then became a Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM), a commercial real estate expert certifica-tion earned by fewer than 5% of agents in the country. The designation attracted a world class group of industry experts as mentors. This experience helped mold Brett into one of the west’s foremost thinkers in investment real estate.

Rising to the topBrett energized sellers of investment properties with a so-

phisticated marketing approach. His ability to underwrite and market properties - and his client-centered focus - provided a rare experience in the brokerage industry.

It didn’t take long to prove the company’s ability to offer investors an advantage. At the time of writing, the Visintainer

Group has had 72 Total Transactions in 8 States with a $237 million volume of sales since 2014. More impressive? Visin-tainer Group averages 97% of asking price on all listings sold.

Part of the Visintainer advantage is a proprietary database of properties, buyers, and sellers, which includes deals both on and off the current market that clients wouldn’t normally be able to access. This national network of contacts helps give Brett an inside track on opportunities not available to others.

Brett is also a leading expert on 1031 Exchanges in the region, allowing clients to defer capital gains taxes on real estate dispositions. Of the 72 transactions Brett has been in-volved in, 42 of those were 1031 related.

It always comes back to the clientWhen the deal is done, Brett is still the guy you first met.

The first thing he told me was that “…the transaction may end, but the relationship doesn’t.” It’s the kind of client-first service others promise but rarely deliver.


W hat do a charming downtown with a one-of-a-kind roundabout, a three-million-gallon water storage tank, and one of the largest solar farms in the na-

tion have in common? These are just three impactful commu-nity projects brought to life by Quad Knopf (QK).

Since it’s humble beginnings as Quad Consultants in 1972, when a Visalia city manager and city planner joined forces to work with the neighboring communities of Farmersville, Ex-eter, Woodlake, and Corcoran, QK has made it its mission to improve the quality of life for citizens across the Central Valley by providing small cities and public agencies with the planning and engineering expertise needed to get infrastructure projects completed from start to finish.

From necessities like creating and repairing roads and streets, to expanding public safety and providing necessary facilities for clean drinking water and responsible sewage treatment, to even larger-scale projects, the team at QK is committed to navigating its clients through the project delivery process. QK is known for its multi-disciplined project approach and helps Cen-tral Valley cities, public works entities and private sector clients alike. The company is built on five distinct areas of expertise

that work together to make the built environment pos-sible. These areas are engineering de-sign and construc-tion management, survey and Geo-graphic Information System (GIS), urban design and land-scape architecture,

biology and environmental permitting, and planning. “We’ve always been multi-disciplined. Offering the services

necessary to provide our clients with comprehensive plans that lead to the development of transformative infrastructure is the cornerstone of our business,” QK President and CEO Ron Wa-then said.

Some of QK’s most innovative legacy projects include finaliz-ing one of the first privately funded Habitat Conservation Plans (HCP) in the United States, and engineering the first roundabout on intersecting state highways, as part of the City of Woodlake

QK CONTINUES LEGACY OF EXCELLENCE

By Valerie Shelton, Reporter Downtown Enhancement plan.

“Woodlake is a great example of the work that we do for our local communities,” said Amber Adams, QK’s Vice President of Business and Operations. “It’s a small community where we serve as the City Engineer and assist with planning work. What they had was a downtown that hadn’t been renovated in years and they didn’t have the base funding of taxes necessary for multiple improvements. QK helped define the projects they needed and worked with the City to identify available fund-ing, mostly USDA funds. The team was then able to leverage multiple state and federal funding sources (to match with the City’s local funds for eligible projects) and build all of the im-provements identified in the Downtown Enhancement Plan. It is a very charming downtown that has retained its historical identity.”

QK is leading the industry with new, innovative ideas, such as Woodlake’s downtown rehabilitation.

“We take a lot of pride in being able to deliver that project because it was the first roundabout on two state highways and it was a great example of partnering with Caltrans and TCAG to deliver the new intersection,” Wathen said. “We had to get an agency to agree to something that hadn’t ever been done. Subsequently, Caltrans now favors roundabouts in those types of situations.”

Though working with small communities is QK’s primary area of focus, the firm also aids larger communities with single projects. One recent example is QK’s partnership with the City of Fresno on the design and construction of an aesthetically pleasing, three-million-gallon water storage tank located in the downtown area. This above ground, concrete storage tank and pump station enabled the City to increase water supply reli-ability for domestic use and fire protection for the downtown Fresno area.

They’ve also completed a number of large-scale, innovative projects with private companies. One such project is a more than 6,000-acre solar project for Maricopa Orchards, Inc. This project required QK to work closely with local, as well as the State and fed-


that succession doesn’t happen. I feel like our staff and team are ready for the next, 20, 30 years and beyond.”

One reason the firm has lasted is because it offers a diver-sified suite of services, which have allowed the company to thrive even in the midst of economic recessions.

Additionally, founder Harry Tow and former president Mike Knopf instilled a professional company culture and built a solid reputation of being help-ful to Valley communities over the years, which QK’s outstanding team of more than 100 profes-sionals (and growing) continue to exemplify.

“We have five core dis-ciplines and we weave all of those disciplines together. But we also have premium technical staff in those disciplines who lead and guide each group of professionals through the collaboration necessary to complete each project,” Adams said. “The technical lead-ership is critically impor-tant to us because you can always have the vision, but if you don’t have the expertise behind it, you can’t deliver in the end.”

“The most important thing we’ve engineered is our team,” Wathen added. “We really believe in our team and our capa-bility to provide our clients with services that are above and beyond.”

eral government agencies. “At the time the application was going through the entitle-

ment and environmental approval process, it was the largest privately-funded solar facility in the nation,” Adams explained, “There were potential biological impacts, including loss of habi-tat, endangered species and water concerns. We successfully completed a document that was approved by U.S. Fish and Wildlife for a 25-year permit that provides 100 percent protec-tion in perpetuity. We also received a permit from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. These permits fund activities to protect wildlife species and the environment.”

Projects like this have contributed to QK’s legacy as a com-pany that cares for its communities and is committed to using innovative practices to make an impact.

“It’s easy to focus on our technical deliverables and not the impact to the community at large. So we might think we’re do-ing a set of plans or a report or we are doing a California En-vironmental Quality Act (CEQA) analysis, but really it is about helping our communities be smart, do the right things, and take advantage of the right opportunities that serve the public in general,” Wathen said. “QKers always have the impact to the community on their minds. They truly live the company mission to be an indispensable partner to their clients, communities, and each other.”

In its 40-plus-year history, QK has gone through four changes in senior leadership. For most firms, even one change could signify the end of a company, but QK’s transitions have re-mained seamless.

“It’s really unique for a consulting engineering firm to grow and last over several generations,” Wathen said, “What is dis-tinctive about our firm is that we have done a lot of work to strengthen our client relationships and we have a presence go-ing into the future to be a legacy firm. For a lot of companies

The most important

thing we’ve engineered is our team. We really believe in our team and our capability to provide our clients with services that are above and beyond.


In 2018 an efficient and SMART Office requires more than a typical copier, printer and fax machine. Instead, the modern office offers high-tech, timesaving solutions

with an emphasis on the safety and security of information. Select Business Systems, who is celebrating their 40th An-

niversary this year, has been known for their superior quality copying and printing equipment since 1978.

Owners Nicole and Todd Mumma, who is entering his 30th year in the business, said, “Technology has rapidly evolved since the ‘70s. While thermal transfer copiers were the pre-mier product when he first started in 1989 — that was quickly replaced by the Digital Age at the turn of the century.

Now is the era of cyber technology. Although copiers have long been Select Business Systems

main source of revenue, by year-end Mumma predicts copier hardware will only account for 30 percent of the business.

Instead, Select Business Systems is drumming up a lot of business through an expanded product offering from Sharp’s parent company, Foxconn. Through this partnership Select Business Systems is now able to offer an advanced line of products unlike others on the market. This includes not just copiers and scanners, but also SMART Aquos Boards, Digital Signage, Managed IT Services, Document Management Soft-ware, and Premier Help Desk Support.

One product Select Business Systems is anticipating in the near future is the Sharp SMART Office”. The system, similar to Amazon’s Alexa, will be able to record notes and recognize voices during conference calls. Mumma says, “We are evolv-ing in the cyber world as an industry leader in what we do”.

Another exciting product Select Business Systems offers

SELECT BUSINESS SYSTEMS: OFFERING SMART SOLUTIONS FOR OFFICES THROUGHOUT THE VALLEY


that no other company in the Central Valley has is the Sky-well. While not a traditional office product, the Skywell is an Atmospheric Water Generator that replaces the old water tank cooler. The environmentally conscious machine runs on electricity alone—no pipes needed—and collects and fil-ters the humidity in the air to make five gallons of pure water overnight. In an area plagued by drought, this smart water approach is one that the Mumma’s are proud to offer.

“There are many benefits to the Skywell,” Todd said. “The amount of plastic you save is incredible and the machine cal-culates how many bottles have been saved as a group and individually”. There is a 10-inch display screen so a company logo or company message can be displayed. Users can also design their own avatar and track how much water they drink.

In addition to increasing their product offerings, Nicole Mumma said the company has expanded to include Auto-mated Device Support on its Multi-Functional devices. It acts as a 24-hour alert system so companies never run out of ink or toner. It also identifies a potential problem before the end user is ever aware.

“The approach in the past was reactive, there would be a problem and we’d fix it. With evolving technology our new approach is proactive, our Automated software allows us to provide a more immediate resolution.” she said. “Our MFP’s will notify us when there is an issue before the client is even aware. Our technicians are then dispatched with the proper


parts and supplies creating first call efficiency and eliminating company downtime.

“Our proactive management software is a huge bonus for clients,” Nicole Mumma said, “because it provides support and monitoring for the equipment on a 24-hour basis, versus the typical industry standard of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.”

As for I.T., Todd Mumma said it was essen-tial for Select Business Systems to begin offer-ing the service as they’ve found 90 percent of companies were at the mercy of their network provider on a break-fix system, where a com-pany had to call and schedule an appointment when a problem occurred. That, he said, can cripple a business. Instead, for a monthly fee, companies can feel secure with Select Busi-ness Systems’ constant internal monitoring.

“It’s not just copiers anymore, we are ever evolving with the emergence of SMART tech-nology products and services. We are embrac-ing Modern Technology so that we can help our clients streamline their business utilizing the best tools on the market,” Nicole Mumma said.


T he Central Valley’s mechanical engineering in-dustry is a small and humble one, with a major-ity of engineers having emerged from the tree of

the late Don Lawrence and the proteges he mentored who branched out as leaders in the industry themselves.

Since 1971, the firm that started as Don Lawrence and Associates has gone through many changes as new part-ners came and went. For a time, it was Lawrence, Nye, Becker; then Lawrence, Nye, Andersen; and, more recent-ly, Lawrence, Nye, Carlson. Meanwhile, former employees of Donald R. Lawrence & Associates and Lawrence, Nye, Becker & Associates, Mike Cantelmi and Steve Becker, were the principals of Mechanical Design Concepts.

Last year the leaders of the two separate entities—Mike Cantelmi and Ryan Carlson—decided to merge the com-panies and become Lawrence Engineering Group, named in tribute to their mentor.

“We’re a small community of engineers and we are all used to working together, especially the old timers, so now we’re all back together as Lawrence Engineering Group,” Carlson said. “When I came into the industry in 1998, I knew a majority of the engineers in the community flowed out

of Lawrence and everyone knew the Lawrence name.”

Lawrence En-gineering Group is responsible for designing some of the unseen-yet-es-sential elements of public buildings—air conditioning, plumbing, and fire sprinkler systems. All are vital to the

function as well as the comfort of each building, so their designs are critical.

Some of the most recognizable public works projects Lawrence engineers are known for include the major Clo-vis Unified campuses of Buchanan, Clovis East and Clovis North, as well as the Clovis Community College campus. Such school projects make up 80 percent of Lawrence Engineering Group’s business. Another 15 percent of their work is on hospital projects. Most recently, Lawrence has done mechanical engineering and commissioning work for medical offices on the northeast side of the Clovis Com-munity Medical Center campus, including commissioning the new cancer center building. The remaining five percent of Lawrence Engineering Group’s work is done for govern-ment entities including Fresno County, the City of Fresno and the City of Clovis.

Before the merger, Lawrence, Nye, Carlson was the larg-est mechanical engineering firm in the Valley, followed by Mechanical Design Concepts. Now, Lawrence Engineering Group is by far the area’s largest with 40 employees, and recently relocated to accommodate its larger staff. Aside from the move, Carlson said, the Lawrence team has been reacting to a boom in business.

The volume of work is so high, Carlson and Cantelmi almost didn’t real-ize Lawrence Engi-neering Group had reached its one-year anniversary.

“I look at this like a marathon and one year is nothing com-pared to the 25-plus years we’re going to have together…One year is important but we have a long way to go, so the one year is just one step,” Carlson said.

As Lawrence Engineering Group moves forward, Carlson and Cantelmi said their goal is to continue to merge “the best of both worlds” in mechanical engineering.

“Our focus is to be the company that people want to go to, not just because we’re the biggest, but because we’re the easiest to work with and we have the best experience level being brought to the table. We want to be a great resource for the community and serve our clients well,” Cantelmi said.

“Our goal and the motto we’ve had for a long time is to be the premier mechanical engineering firm in the Valley. So anytime there is a big nice project, we’re in the discus-sion and more than anything that we’re the engineer that gets to do it instead of a firm from Los Angeles or San Francisco,” Carlson added. “One of my professional goals has always been to be the mechanical engineer of a new hospital campus, which may only happen locally one more time in my lifetime, but we’re going to be prepared and in the right position to do it.”

LAWRENCE ENGINEERING: MERGING THE AREA’S BEST MECHANICAL MINDS



W hile there are several assisted living facilities in the Valley who have areas dedicated to memory care, none exclusively serves all types of demen-

tia patients in as warm and welcoming an environment as west Fresno’s own Bella Vista Memory Care.

Bella Vista, which just celebrated its fifth year in business, prides itself on not only providing a safe space for its resi-dents, but on treating each resident as a member of their family. Unlike most assisted living facilities, the ownership behind Bella Vista ventured into the industry due to their per-sonal experiences with dementia.

For Bella Vista Executive Director Donna Hurley, the in-spiration was her father, who experienced a sudden onset form of the disease called vascular dementia at only 47 years old. A teenager at the time, Hurley’s life was forever changed. Though she, her mom and younger brother cared for him for a time, eventually home life became too difficult and the fam-ily had to search for a safe care facility. Though they found a safe facility, it didn’t offer the comforts of home which were restricted to state and federal funded facilities due to his fi-nancial status and being a small business owner.

“One of the most important parts of my father’s life was his ability to enjoy the outdoors and this was something that was not available to him. My father routinely stated that he wanted to feel the sun and this was not possible without a premium price at his facility,” Hurley said.

In fact, Hurley’s family actually paid extra for 15 minutes of outdoor time each day, but that didn’t prevent her dad from escaping the grounds and being penalized for the staff’s lack of attention where he was “5150” and placed on a mental health hold. Following this event, the family had no choice but to return Hurley’s father to the same care facility. It was after that incident that Hurley decided she needed to do something.

“I wanted to change the dynamic and the platform of this industry,” Hurley said. “There is a huge need for a mid-dle ground. There are many families who are not wealthy enough to afford a $10,000 a month facility and deserve more than what can be provided at state funded care level; some-thing that is worthwhile where each individual can be treated like a human being, not just a number.”

Enter Bella Vista, where Hurley acts as more than a typical director, serving all 36 residents as an advocate doing every-thing from battling with physicians over the use of psychotro-pic medications to simply listening to her residents.

“We have a resident in the community who calls me her lawyer and believes a fellow resident that looks like her third ex-husband has stolen all her money and told their church horrible things about her. Providing her with reassurance and acknowledging her feelings by letting her know ‘I got your money back honey and it’s in your account’ brings her moments of relief where she will in turn give you a kiss on the cheek,” Hurley said. “You have to think quickly and know your residents because telling her ‘he’s not your ex-husband and he didn’t take your money’ is not going to cut it. It’s just a matter of accepting and loving your residents as well as understanding the disease process.”

As an accepting community, Bella Vista is one of the few places willing to accommodate those suffering from all of types dementia.

“We do not discriminate on dementia diagnoses, and have had many success stories and I’m not scared of a challenge and I’ve got that label,” Hurley said. “That is one thing about Bella Vista, we’re not going to sit here and not help. Everyone deserves a home.”

BELLA VISTA OFFERS OPTIMAL MEMORY CARE



C hristopher (Chris) Staub, MT, ASCP, SBB - came to the Central California Blood Center in January of 2016 as Chief Operations Officer. Eighteen months later he

was selected, following a national search, to serve as the Presi-dent and Chief Executive Officer of the Central California Blood Center. With his nationally recognized blood banking leadership experience, and scientific background, the Board of Directors of the Central California Blood Center knew that Chris would set forth to make positive change happen. In his first year as CEO, he has done exactly that.

As the Central California Blood Center continues to be focused on its life saving mission to provide safe and abundant blood and blood products to our hospitals, Chris remains focused on providing extraordinary value and support to our hospital part-ners, improving operations, fortifying community relationships and advancing the science of blood banking nationwide. He has done the latter in part by spearheading leading edge, innovative research projects with partners such as Cerus Corporation.

Cerus is a biomedical products company focused in the field of blood transfusion safety. Their Intercept Blood System is designed to reduce the risk of transfusion-transmitted infec-tions by inactivating a broad range of pathogens such as vi-ruses, bacteria and parasites that may be present in donated blood. Cerus currently provides licensed methodology for blood banks worldwide to produce Intercept Platelets and Plasma. In addition, Cerus selected an exclusive few centers in the US to produce Pathogen Reduced Red Blood Cells for Clinical Trials. Thanks to Chris, the Central California Blood Center is one of

only 3 centers committed to advanced medicine intended to immediately improve the care and safety of care for patients across the Globe. The Central California Blood Center is cur-rently working with Cerus on various other projects intended to further blood banking even more so, in the coming years. This is hugely important not only for the Central California Blood Center, but for our community as we become perceived across the Nation as a community capable and willing to participate in such monumental efforts.

In his first year here at the Central California Blood Center, and together with his Marketing and PR Team, Chris has also led the efforts associated to launching a comprehensive mes-saging campaign and rebrand intended to bring increased awareness for not only the brand of the Central California Blood Center, but for its life saving mission urging the community to consider the importance of donating blood in order to save lives. For some, this is a message they’re very familiar with but for many, it is a message they’ll be hearing for the first time.

Chris brings to the Blood Center more than 30 years of progressive leadership in hospitals and blood centers, with diverse scientific, business and management experience in blood banking and health care. He is actively involved in blood banking associations and has served on the Board of Directors of America’s Blood Centers. He is a published author and a frequent speaker before professional, scientific and technical audiences. His work here in the Central Val-ley has just begun. We look forward to the positive change and innovation he will continue to bring to our Central Valley.

Together, life flows from here.

For more information, visit us at www.donateblood.org or contact: Ersilia R. LacazeDirector of Marketing & Community Development [email protected] 559-389-5453

A YEAR IN REVIEW – WELCOMING CHRISTOPHER STAUB TO THE CENTRAL VALLEY

http://www.donateblood.org

mailto:[email protected]

Supporting the Central Valley’s Food Processorsfrom seven different

locations.

uscold.comuscold.com 559.237.6145559.237.6145

Providing full-range services to the frozen and refrigerated food industry.

Bakersfield • Fresno • Sacramento • Tracy • Tulare (2) • Turlock

2018 - the business journal€¦ · 30 to 35 days last year. for 2018, the team is also on track to...

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