Vol. 4 No. 3

H.D. Gears Up For REConSome 50% of New Retail Deals Set to Happen at Vegas Convention By: EDITOR GRETCHEN LOSI

Local Businesses Prosper Through partnership with County Workforce Investment Board

By: SANDY HARMSENThe County of San Bernardino Workforce Investment Board recently conducted a survey of 1,400 businesses in the Inland Empire to pinpoint future hiring and growth trends. Understanding the climate of a business community is imperative for a local workforce investment board. It ensures resources are invested in industries with the potential to create good jobs for local residents. The survey identified that many of the area’s industries are experiencing a large upswing in sales and have either new positions open or anticipate hiring

Steeno Design Studios, one of many High Desert businesses that are driving expansion by utilizing on-the-job training.

to meet demand. The manufacturing sector is just one example with 39 percent of the surveyed employers noting increased sales and 41 percent planning to hire. In order to continue expanding, businesses in the Inland Empire need a qualified applicant pool from which they can draw. The recent economic shift has created a skills gap. A recent Manpower survey reported that 52 percent of U.S. employers struggled to fill critical positions in 2011, Con’t PAGE 6

This month, High Desert economic development rep-resentatives along with power players in commercial real estate will be hitting Vegas for the annual International Coun-cil of Shopping Centers (ICSC) convention. In fact, it is THE convention for networking, deal making and educational opportunities, for retail real estate professionals from around the world. “Many don’t realize the ICSC is known across the world. This annual conference draws the best of the best. Retailers will not only tell you what is happening today but also three to five years down the road,” said Joe Brady, president of the Bradco Companies. “This makes ICSC a

great tool for networking as well as planning and sizing up the market to see where we stand.”With more than 30,000 ex-pected at the convention, it’s an unparalleled opportunity to do a year's worth of busi-ness in just four days. ICSC

estimates that half of all industry deals are started or finished at RECon.Jason Lamoreaux, president of Coldwell Banker Commercial, says about one-third of his annual business is completed at the convention and another one-third will come from there and close later. The International Council of Shopping Centers convention has long drawn ICSC Con’t PAGE 2

“Many don’t realize the ICSC is known across the world. This annual conference draws the best of the best. Retailers will not only tell you what is happening today but also three to five years down the road,” President of Bradco, Joesph Brady

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representatives from the High Desert development and brokerage community, but this year is slightly different. Unlike previous years where cities and towns that chose to attend with their own booths, all of our economic development gurus from High Desert communities will be in one booth. This was due partly to city managers hoping for strength in numbers and wanting to combine forces to cut exhibit costs. It was made possible thanks to a $75,000 grant that former First District Supervisor Brad Mitzelfelt approved before leaving office. Those from the High Desert, including commercial brokers and city officials, are optimistic that this year’s convention will provide new projects to be built and leased, space to be filled or, perhaps, back filled. Given that there are major portfolios on the market there is also an optimistic sense that capital will be returning and that there will be more deals in the year to come.“I'm expecting this year to finally see those retailers who have slow played their growth through this down market finally start to dust off prior expansion plans which were shelved some years ago. I imagine a great deal of dialogue with regards to impending growth will once again be a forethought rather than a reminiscence of the good old days past,” said Ryan Travis, a partner of the Kursch Commercial Real Estate Group. “It’s a great opportunity to get out from behind the desk and the phone/emails and truly engage with colleagues and peers in real life conversation and face to face interaction.”The International Council of Shopping Centers helps members develop their businesses through networking, education, research, information, deal-making and action on legislation and regulation. This year the convention is May 19-21 in Las Vegas.

Ryan Travis

THIS ISSUE Vol. 4 No. 3

Ask a LawyerI am over a year behind on my house payments. I kept thinking the bank would modify or foreclose but they haven’t. With the speed at which home prices are rising, I am worried that I won’t be able to buy another house with my bad credit. Is there any way I can keep my house? The arrears on my mortgage are approximately $25,000 and I just don’t have it.

Yes. Your situation is common. A high percentage of homeowners are in default and the banks have been slow to foreclose. Depending on where you are in the process, you may have at least another six months in your home before you are foreclosed on and need to move. If your income can justify it, a bankruptcy court can stop the lender from foreclosing and give you time to catch up on your arrears. In a Chapter 13 Bankruptcy you can schedule your $25,000 in arrears over 60 months allowing you keep your home. With local prices rising at a rate of 25% per year, it is easy to see how this may be a smart option for you, or for anyone else in your situation. Of course, this would not be easy. You will need to prove to the court that you can afford your regular monthly house payment on top of an additional payment of aproximately $2200. The additional payment will be used by the court to pay your arrears. This option is not for everyone. It, typically, works best for those who have had a temporary reduction in family income and whose situation has now improved. Bankruptcy Attorneys usually give free consultations, so please consult one regarding your specific situation.

Todd Turoci has been practicing bankruptcy law in the High Desert for over 20 years and can be reached at Mail@theturocifirm.com.

For more information: www.cityofhesperia.us/EZEZ@cityofhesperia.us 760/947-1906

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PUBLISHERWestern Star Financial, Inc.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEFGretchen Losi

STAFF WRITERSDon BrownDan Harley

Jason LamoreauxRyan Orr

Alyssa PenmanSteve Sipe

Sam ThatteBart WadeCaroll Yule

CONTRIBUTING WRITERSNicole AragonGwen Bedics

Sandy HarmsenRobert Isbill

Kari MartinezKeith MetzlerMike NutterKevin Yang

EDITORIAL BOARDTeri Ortega

President Adelanto Chamber of Commerce

Janice Moore President Apple Valley Chamber of Commerce

Yvonne Woytovich President Hesperia

Chamber of Commerce

Eric Camarena President High Desert Hispanic

Chamber of Commerce

Michelle SpearsPresident Victorville

Chamber of Commerce

EDITORIAL ASSISTANTPhoenix Turoci

OFFICE MANAGERSherry Madan

HDBJ is published monthly with an additional two Special Features, 40

Under 40 published in October and our Annual Book of Lists. You can also find

us on the Web at HDBJ.Biz. All material is copyright by HDBJ with all rights reserved. To obtain permission to reprint or recreate

content, contact us at Mail@HDBJ.Biz. For advertising inquiries

call 760-244-8596. To subscribe send a $20 check to:

Western Star Financial, 14895 Bear Valley Rd., Hesperia, Ca. 92345.

Or to pay by credit card, Call 760-244-8596

For editorial inquiries, including story ideas, promoting a business event, or

to be considered as part of our writing team, call Editor Gretchen Losi at

760-244-8596 or e-mail, Mail@HDBJ.Biz

CONTENTSCOVER STORIES

RECon Commerical brokers/city officials hoping for big win in Vegas

WorkforceHow SB County Programs are helping HD biz prosper

Page 4

Executive Q&AJoe Brady of Bradco

Page 6

Young ProfessionalsHow Chambers are nurturing the next generation

Page 8

“12 People” ProfileDarryl Evey

Page 9

CommercialPage 10

ResidentialRent vs Buy

Page 11

City Tax RevenuesPage 12

New Enviromental LawsHow they effect local business

Page13

Who Owns It?Who are the big investors of HD Land?

NEXT ISSUE: - Ethnic Economics- SCLA’s Economic Impact- Cost of Court Closures on local Biz

Newly Opened H.D. Businesses Pick of the Litter Grooming 16501 Walnut #4, Hesperia

On the Ground Custom Motorcycle 16698 Smoke Tree #B, Hesperia

Cedar Canyon Mobile Repair17344 Eucalyptus #A1, Hesperia

UPS Store16808 Main St., #D, Hesperia

Natural Juice and Water Store14895 Bear Valley Road, #E, Hesperia

Alvarez Aquariums 17359 Darwin #J, Hesperia

M & J Industrial Sewing Machine 17142 Main St, Hesperia

Bear Valley Chiropractic16044 Bear Valley Rd #1, Victorville

Brother’s Ice-Cream12671 Garfield St., Victorville

Information in list provided by city staff.

Executive Q&A With...Joseph BradyBy: EDITOR GRETCHEN LOSI

Name: Joseph W. Brady, CCIM, SIORCompany: Joseph W. Brady Inc. dba The Bradco Companies, the Bradco High Desert Report, BarstowReal Estate Group, Alliance Management GroupPosition: PresidentTime in position: The company was incorporated December 4th, 1989Age: 56Joseph Brady is president of Bradco, the longest operating commercial, industrial, office, retail and land brokerage firm in the High Desert. Brady is also a Trustee at Victor Valley Community College District. He has been actively involved in the past with the economic development movement and such organizations as the Mojave River Regional Board of Trade, Mojave River Regional Economic Council (MREDC), High Desert Regional Economic Development Authority (HDREDA). He is one of the co-founders of the Red Cross Leaders Economic Summit and a member of the Board of Governors for Spring Valley Lake Country Club.

Tell us something that we are seeing in our local business community that we are not talking about now? The challenge that the business community faces is the ever increasing amount of welfare and EBT use, high unemployment and the fact that we are not creating the jobs that we need to sustain the type of municipal services that we will require in the future. I believe we have seen a dramatic change in our demographics in the last (5) five years, which will continue to challenge our local police, fire, ambulance services, and medical industry.

How does the High Desert compare to other commercial markets? We were probably the first to feel the recession and we will be the last to feel the expansion of the economy. The Inland Empire having been the third fastest` growing region in the United States during the last expansion has probably been hit the hardest outside of the Las Vegas metro area or any part of the country. Within the Inland Empire, I believe we were hit the hardest.

Are we on the way to recovery? Anytime that you take $10 billion of direct construction and $10 billion of indirect construction benefit out of an economy it will take years to recover. We are nowhere near recovering all of the job losses that occurred and we still have 150,000 families within San Bernardino County that are under water with their mortgages. Until that changes our region may still have some challenges. That is not to say that people are not looking to purchase another home or expand their business.

What do you expect to see occur in the High Desert market in the next year? I believe more optimism. We have seen an increase in inquiries for investment, those looking at land and positioning for the future. I believe that people are “restless” and tired of the recession/depression and are looking to invest their money and get a higher return than they can at their bank. I see leasing activity up in the next year, land values steadily increasing within the Cities and those transactions close to development starting to break ground.

What steps should High Desert businesses take right now to maximize the value of their commercial space? Depending upon the term of their lease talk to their landlord about your expansion or contraction plans and start working closer to the landlord to create an environment of trust and long-term stability. It is paramount that tenants really understand their lease, their obligations and their responsibilities. We have been advising our clients for the last 6 months to renegotiate their leases, and to pay attention to a booklet that we make available called “327 Questions to ask before you sign a lease.” The book helps tenants understand the important aspects of what we do in trying to create a market rate deal for both tenant and landlord.

There is a movement in commercial real estate where professionals specialize more than ever. Tell us about this and explain why is this trend occurring? The trend towards specialization has been a central part of the commercial, industrial, office, retail and land brokerage companies for decades. Unfortunately in the High Desert, as in many secondary markets, it’s hard to for an individual commercial broker to specifically specialize in one form of the industry as there may not be enough business to substantiate that specialization.

Do you see this trend growing? I believe that you will see over the course of the next 5 to 10 years a tremendous amount of specialization as more product is developed in the High Desert region and brokers are able to become more focused on specializing rather than having to operate as generalist which in a market such as ours is sometimes the only way they can make a living.

I have heard rumors that you and your firm are attempting to recreate an economic development council to promote jobs in the region. Is that true? Yes. We have been in involved in the creation with other private sector members and other public sector members. Three economic development organizations over the past 25 years. I have always felt that if we could create enough jobs, you could pave the streets in gold. The High Desert needs jobs and a better identity than we currently have.

I believe that the High Desert suffers in some cases within Southern California with an identity that we are “dumping ground” for those people that are sent to San Bernardino County on parole etc. That should not be the fact and I think that we need to change that as a group of concerned citizens, business owners etc. Lastly, the State of California rated all the High Desert cities as well as the other cities in California and took all their redevelopment agency money. Redevelopment agency funding was one of the many mechanisms used by successful cities in luring economic development projects developers that created jobs and increased sales tax dollars, real property values etc. Those dollars are no longer there.What can be done? The valley needs to come together and create, from a private standpoint, an economic development council that will sustain itself long-term (even during the good times) and to promote the High Desert region as a region in total. Our firm has identified over 1,010 “private stakeholders” including some organizations who believe that they would be the initial backbone to this economic development group. We spent about 70 hours identifying those people after looking at nearly 9,000 businesses, 4,000 building owners, 4,000 major land owners etc.I believe that the valley needs to come together and although we have some renewed optimism about the economy, I believe that the High Desert has a long way to go before we get to a point that we have 5% unemployment, stabilized housing values.

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Additional Business ToolsJob FairsSome employers prefer to consider candidates through face-to-face interaction. Job Fairs are one of several tools that can be used when recruiting. To this end, the Workforce Investment Board helps businesses build awareness and meet the right can-didates through local job fairs. There is no cost for employers to participate.

Businesses Consulting ServicesOf course, not all companies are prepared to hire but would like to grow. The Business Resource Team also partners with businesses by increasing efficiency, enhancing workplace safety or improving other processes by matching businesses with expert consultants.Northwest Pipe, a leading manufacturer of welded steel pipe and a national presence in the pipe and tube industry, utilized the process improvement program to increase the company’s employee productivity and safety in its Adelanto facility. Although the main goal was to improve processes, the company was also able to grow their team.According to Amy Byrnes, Northwest Pipe’s Human Resource Manager of the Adelanto Facility, “The training has had a concrete impact on overall safety in our workplace; a goal established by our top management for each individual em-ployee. The technical knowledge employees received from the program supports greater productivity, and that has helped us grow. We have added three temporary positions, which we hope to convert into full-time positions.”

Business Workshops and SeminarsIn addition to its consulting services, the County of San Ber-nardino Workforce Investment Board offers regular workshops and seminars that cover topics ranging from marketing and management to human resources and the Affordable Care Act. For more information about upcoming workshops, businesses may contact Shanna Williams at swilliams@wdd.sbcounty.gov or (909) 383-9937.The County of San Bernardino Workforce Investment Board has also partnered with the California Employers Association to provide employers a human resources hotline. The hotline helps businesses stay current on requirements created by new legislation and helps protect against costly fines and penalties. Human resources inquiries are unlimited. Businesses with questions should call (800) 399-5331.

Sandy Harmsen, Executive Director of the Workforce Investment Board and Director of the County of San Bernardino Workforce Development Department.

“WORKFORCE” Con’t from COVERan increase from the 14 percent in 2010. Many of the new positions require skills that displaced workers do not currently possess. For numerous businesses, these positions remain unfilled because the cost of training an incoming workforce is prohibitive. In response, the Workforce Investment Board is helping local businesses take large steps forward in developing a lasting, educated workforce for middle skills industries. Middle skill jobs require more than a high school diploma, but not necessarily a four-year degree. In the Inland Empire, these in-demand industries include manufacturing, healthcare, transportation and logistics, energy and utilities, and construction. The Workforce Investment Board’s Business Resource Team partners with local businesses to help overcome the hiring hurdle and other challenges to business growth. Offering no-cost services such as on-the-job training, process improvement consulting, employee training, and recruitment, the teams are helping businesses further their growth.On-the-Job Training On-the-job training provides an answer to growing pains for a business. It is a no-cost program that reduces hiring costs by reimbursing employers for a portion of a new hire’s wage during an initial training period. The program offers resources businesses need to develop their workforce without the financial strain of recruitment and training. The goal is to obtain permanent employment for each trainee, once the employees are fully trained and have completed the probationary period. Many High Desert businesses are driving expansion by utilizing on-the-job training. Steeno Design Studios, based in Hesperia is an excellent example. Steeno Design Studios is an architectural firm that provides land development, site and building design, consulting, and general contracting services for a variety of industries including residential, retail, office professional and industrial projects. With the economy improving, the company needed to add two drafters and an office assistant to keep up with demand. The technical nature of the studios work meant the cost to train new employees was high. Fortunately, on-the-job training offered the perfect solution. The company received partial reimbursement for training costs through

the training program. This made it affordable to properly prepare the three new employees in the diversified and highly technical duties of a busy architectural office. “Working with the Workforce Investment Board’s Business Resource Team provides beneficial services that promote job creation in our local economy. It empowers our company to confidently hire from a pool of locally unemployed professionals, said owner of Steeno Design Studios, Thomas Steeno. “Each time we work with the team and the on-the-job training program, we know it means success for the employee hired and for our company. We will continue to utilize the program and look forward to the future employees gained through these services.” As a fuel and lubrication distributor, Goodspeed Companies’ positions require a specialized skill set and the company found it challenging to recruit qualified, trainable candidates.Goodspeed Auto-Fuel Systems, General Manager Amy Walker recognized the Workforce Investment Board’s training and no-cost recruitment services would eliminate her company’s current recruiting challenges. Recruitment services are offered to employers at no cost regardless of the number of positions offered or the skill level required. Services include applicant screening, interviews, job postings, administration of assessment tests used as a regular part of the businesses’ hiring procedure. Recruitment services also include coordination of recruitment needs with state and local agencies such as

Goodspeed Auto-Fuel Systems, Inc. recognized the Workforce Investment Board’s training and no-cost recruitment services would eliminate the company’s recruiting challenges.

the economic development department, community colleges, and trade schools. “We chose to utilize the services of the Business Resource Team both for the funding offered to help offset training costs and their extensive job placement experience,” says Walker.Goodspeed Auto-Fuel Systems recruited and hired a new employee. The new hire is now a permanent member of the Goodspeed Auto Fuel Inc. team.“After 35 years of traditional recruitment tactics, I am very pleased with the excellent programs offered to employers by the Workforce Investment Board,” said Walker. “From an initial meeting with the Business Resource Team to review our company’s specific needs, to making decision to hire a permanent employee, everything flowed seamlessly. The Business Resource Team staff worked diligently to find the right applicants and the training candidate is a great fit for our team.”As the economy continues to recover and businesses pursue new opportunities, the County of San Bernardino Workforce Investment Board is dedicated to providing the services necessary to help employers overcome the skills gap and continue to grow. Through careful analysis of the local economy, the Workforce Investment Board is helping to close the skills gap by providing an educated workforce to expanding businesses. Businesses interested in learning more about or enrolling in the no-cost services provided by the County of San Bernardino Workforce Investment Board can visit, www.csb-win.org or call (800) 451-JOBS.

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6BUSINESSNurturing our future leadersBy: STEVE SIPE

For several years Mr. Sipe was the Marketing Co-chair for High Desert Opportunity, and was a two term President of the organization. Mr. Sipe has been a contributing writer for New Age Media, President of the Southwest Louisiana Ad Club, and has authored numerous sales training and strategy papers. He has been a resident of Apple Valley since 1994 where he resides with his wife Beatriz Potter.

“Leadership.” It’s the catalyst meshing all other elements of an organization into a cohesive whole. A business can have every other critical piece in place, yet without effective leadership, it may still face failure.Leadership is such an important factor in the success of the High Desert’s businesses that in 1995 the Victor Valley Chamber of Commerce had the foresight to cultivate future High Desert leaders with the inception of a cutting-edge business development program. “Leadership Victor Valley” is an innovative program providing a behind-the-scenes view of the issues that impact the region’s economic prosperity and quality of life. It also focuses on developing and refining individual skills so that graduates are better equipped to take on leadership roles within their organization and throughout the community. Participants receive a comprehensive overview of the High Desert area - its realities, opportunities, and challenges. Sessions are conducted at various locations throughout the Victor Valley and provide students with a unique opportunity to meet key business and government leaders who play integral roles in the region. In highly interactive sessions, guest speakers provide attendees with more than facts and data; attendees are exposed to new perspectives, learning about the challenges and opportunities found in our area. The course consists of ten classes covering: Leadership, Healthcare, Court System, Government, Human Relations & Diversity, Economic Development, Media and Public Relations, Energy, Water and Housing, Education, and Law Enforcement & Criminal Justice. More than 250 alumni have benefitted from Leadership Victor Valley. Alumnus Vici Nagel, President/CEO of Academy for Grassroots Organizations, praised the program. "I think it's commendable that the chamber works to develop local leaders,” she said. “I found the Leadership Victor Valley course very informative and was impressed by the

Are we attracting our NEXT GENERATION of Community and Business Leaders?

Young Professionals in the H.D.

caliber of presenters.” She said during the course those in attendance had the opportunity to hear from and meet hospital CEO's, city managers, judges, and business leaders; not people the average guy on the street gets to connect with. Looking to expand their scope of leadership development, the Victor Valley Chamber Foundation, with a grant from Walmart, has assembled a group of stakeholders who are now in the initial planning stages of developing a youth leadership program. For more information on Leadership Victor Valley, contact the Victor Valley Chamber of Commerce, (760) 245-6506.

Tips for Nurturing Your Young EmployeesDevelop their Emotional Quotient. Although high IQ levels count, let them know that developing their EQ is as critical as mastery of their chosen profession. Workers value a leader’s abilities to control their emotions such as anger, to withstand difficult events and stressful situations. Developing their EQ is an investment that will reap rewards in the area of relationships and personal growth once they assume more senior leadership roles.Keep them interested. Your new young managers will find it exciting if their job descriptions say: implement change, multi-task, and solve problems. Gradually increase their responsibilities as they show capability to keep them challenged and interested with what they are doing. Give them a life. Work-life balance is a must for long-term career growth. Managers of this generation lead multi-activity lives. Nurture them early to create well-balanced individuals who will surely be productive as professionals and as respectable leaders in the organization for a long time.Connect them to the organization. This will give them a greater sense of accountability.

NOMINATE TODAY!The High Desert Business Journal aims to recognize those building the High Desert’s future by making significant contributions to their industries, their companies and our community - and are under the age 0f 40.

HDBJ will honor our “40 Under 40” at an awards dinner in November. as well as in our ‘40 Under 40’ Special Issue.

To be eligible, candidates must be 40 years old or younger as of Dec. 31, 2013, and their job must be based in in the H.D.

Nominate as many as you would like -friends, co-workers, employees, or those you feel are simply deserving.

NOMINATE TODAY! MAIL@HDBJ.BIZ (Subject: ‘40.’)

To nominate send their name, contact info. including phone and e-mail, along with their company name.

Former White House Senior Economic Advisor Todd Buchholz Slated as Keynote Speaker for2013 High Desert OpportunityFormer White House senior economic advisor, hedge fund director, TV commentator and best-selling author Todd Buchholz will serve as Keynote Speaker for the 2013 High Desert Opportunity business conference. This year’s speaker is a frequent commentator on the state of the markets, often jousting with such personalities as James Carville and Ben Stein on ABC News, PBS and CBS as well as recently hosting his own special on CNBC. Todd Buchholz brings his experience as a former White House director of economic policy, a managing director of the $15 billion Tiger hedge fund, and a Harvard economics teacher to the High Desert, offering a fresh perspective on the challenges and opportunities facing today’s markets.High Desert Opportunity (HDO) is the premier High Desert event annually showcasing local businesses and development opportunities for new and expanding businesses. The goal of the event is to support economic growth and stability by attracting businesses and jobs to the High Desert. The region encompasses the cities of Adelanto, Apple Valley, Barstow, Hesperia and Victorville as well as portions of San Bernardino County. In its 32nd year, High Desert Opportunity continues to grow, continually attracting close to 1,000 attendees focusing on the benefits of doing business in the High Desert.The annual event will be held from 7:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 17th, 2013 at the San Bernardino County Fairgrounds in Victorville, CA. The conference’s purpose is to draw “out of the area” business owners, commercial real estate brokers, developers and site locators to the High Desert region to promote local business development. For more information or to purchase tickets for the 2013 High Desert Opportunity, please call 760-245-7600 or visit the website: www.highdesertopportunity.com.

Watch State of the CountyThere were 1,200 people in attendance at this year’s State of the County. For those who were unable to attend, here’s your chance to see and hear the presentation via the Web. www.sbcountyadvantage.com/SOC13.aspx

County’s innovative “Career Vision” seminar comes to H.D. A special six-hour employment workshop for job seekers and career changers will provide out-of-the-box ideas that turn the job search process from reactive to proactive -- even in a bleak economy. The free seminar will be held from 1 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 8 at the San Bernardino County - Hesperia Library, 9650 7th Avenue, Hesperia.For more information visit www.careervisionbyjamie.com.

Regional Job FairOn May 15, High Desert businesses will have the opportunity to participate in the High Desert Regional Job Fair presented by the County of San Bernardino Workforce Investment Board. This is a one-stop opportunity for employers to meet, interview, and hire high quality, experienced workers for full and part-time positions. For more information or to participate, contact Shanna Williams at swilliams@wdd.sbcounty.gov or (909) 383-9937. All employer applications are due by May 10.

NEW KID ON THE BLOCKMacy’s store manager Fernando SanchezThe new Macy’s at the Mall of Victor Valley is a single-level 103,000-square-foot store with approximately 150 store associates run by store manager Fernando Sanchez. Fernando is bilingual in English and Spanish and began his career with Macy’s in 2001 as a part-time associate in Santa Anita. In 2009, Fernando was promoted to Merchandise Team Manager at Macy’s Temecula and in 2011, he was promoted to As-sistant Store Manager at Macy’s Palm Desert. Sanchez attended San Jose State University where he received a B.S. degree in Business Administration. “I am excited to begin my role as store manager of Macy’s Victor Valley and look forward to welcoming customers who have been anxiously awaiting the store’s opening and providing an outstanding shopping experience,” Sanchez said. “Macy’s is all about local-ization and we are hard at work making sure our Victor Valley store has the right mix of assortments to meets the needs of the community.”

HDBJ NEWSMAKERS

Wallace Linn, has joined the Coldwell Banker Commercial team of real estate professionals. Linn will focus on commercial property management, working closely with landlords to improve the performance of their properties with Coldwell Banker Commercial’s team of property management professionals. With over 38 years of experience in the Real Estate industry and an extensive background in Corporate Finance, Linn brings years of expertise and

professionalism to the CBC team.

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SAVE THE DATELocal Networking Opportunities

May 1stVictor Valley Chamber VMI Breakfast -Hilton Garden

May 8th HDBJ Fireside Chat -Green Tree’s Fireside Restaurant

May 15thApple Valley Chamber Luncheon -Apple Valley Golf Course

Adelanto Chamber Luncheon - Mavericks StadiumConference Center

May 16thBarstow Chamber Breakfast -Hampton Inn & Suites

12 People You Need To KnowDARRYL EVEY

Darryl Evey is one of the High Desert’s most interesting people. By the age of 46, this die-hard Packers fan has served as a Marine, guarded Mother Theresa, followed the Grateful Dead, traveled the world and found several lifetimes worth of adventure along the way. Each chapter enriching his life and offering him lessons that he now uses to help others less fortunate in our community. And he’s just getting started. His current journey began about six years ago when a Hispanic woman in her 20s walked through the door of the Family Assistance Program, where Darryl serves as the executive director. She stumbled in with a black eye, stitches, fat lip, a cast and her arm in a sling, yet she was dressed as if she were going dancing for the night. “Earlier that day, she was a happy girl in a relationship. Then her boyfriend beat the crap out of her, duct taped her and threw her in a closet before getting drunk and passing out,” said Darryl. The boyfriend was arrested. The young woman obtained a restraining order on her abuser and went to live at the domestic violence shelter operated by Family Assistance Program. After a few months she moved in with her sister and was on the road to a full recovery. Then, days before the man who abused her was set to go to trial, police were called to her sister’s home. The young woman was missing. A neighbor had spotted a strange car and police immediately put out an APB. The car was spotted pulling over onto a deserted dirt road. The young woman was found duct taped in the trunk next to a shotgun and shovel. The abuser was sentenced to 20 years to life. “That was when I realized we saved a life,” said Evey. There was no turning back after that. Darryl traveled many roads before finding this calling. During the 80s, Darryl proudly served in the Marine Corps. “The Cold War was at its height and I felt a calling to serve. I was hoping to be on the front lines fighting for liberty and freedom,” said Evey. “Being in the military gives people a respect for our country and democracy. I believe it should be a requirement for anyone in an elected position, especially congress.” During his time as a Marine, Darryl was allowed the opportunity to be on a security detail guarding Mother Theresa. It took only one week with her to change his life forever. “She was making the world a better place. I never had been around or even believed in energy, the kind people can give off. But being around her... I couldn’t understand what she was saying but you could feel how nice she was. Just being around her made you want to do good things.

And I thought, I want to be that person,” said Evey. One way he did this while still in the Marines was by organizing a dinner on base, allowing the children from the neighboring villages to eat at the chow hall on Christmas day. It was special for the Marines - steak and lobster. “The children could care less there was steak and lobster, but the apples were like gold,” said Evey. “The kids ate so many apples they all went home with stomach aches and pockets stuffed with more apples.” After he left the Marine Corps, Darryl said he grew his hair long and decided to embrace the ultimate in love and peace. He became a “Deadhead” and followed the Grateful Dead around the country for six years until the death of Jerry Garcia in 1995. Then he entered into yet another chapter of his life. He sold all of his earthly possessions and moved to Guatemala. “There are plenty of things in my life right now that should make me happy. When you live around people who live off roots they dug from the ground, how can I get upset about not being able to go to a five star restaurant for a $400 meal with my girlfriend?” There he learned to appreciate life on yet another level. “This is one of the poorest areas in our world. They have nothing, yet suicide is all but unheard of in their culture,” said Evey. “Stuff doesn’t buy happiness. Happiness is not relative to the people around you. It’s relative to your own life. Whether I am happy today is my choice.” Today Darryl is living yet another lifetime, this one focused not so much on changing him, but changing the lives of those in the High Desert – for the better. “In a nutshell, we’re helping families in the community become stronger. The reason we have so many different programs is there are so many different challenges being faced in our community,” said Darryl. Since becoming the executive Director of Family Assistance Program, the non-profit has grown at an amazing stride offering a plethora of services to all ages and backgrounds. Over 3,000 residents were directly assisted in some way by the non-profit in 2012. Among the services offered by Family Assistance Program is a domestic violence shelter with 23 beds – that are almost always filled. As a result, they will also be opening a transitional housing fourplex in the Town of Apple Valley. “They hope to close escrow May 1st and open the doors July 1st,” said Evey. Under Evey’s leadership, the non-profit also has a rental assistance program, counseling and a variety of classes including anger management, parenting and art

healing for abused children and mothers. One year ago the non-profit opened “Our House,” a 12-bed shelter in Redlands for runaways and homeless youth – the only one of its kind in San Bernardino County. They are also slated to open a drop-in center in San Bernardino for at-risk and homeless youth to get counseling and connect with job training. “We will offer free food, showers and clothing, the three fundamental needs of the homeless. In exchange you have to make progress to get them off the street by using the services offered,” said Evey. He is also proud of his specialty programs, like G.R.O.W.E. to reach out to our local LGBT community. “There aren’t really any programs for LGBT to provide assistance, encouragement and education,” said Evey. Amazingly, before working with Family Assistance Program, Darryl admittedly knew nothing and no one with ties to domestic violence. “After working there I realized I did know people, lots of them, including family members,” he said. “I believe our purpose is to make this world a better place. When I look at what I do here it all comes down to families. What we do and are doing is making families happy. At least that’s our goal.”

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COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE 9

Jason Lamoreux is CEO and President of Coldwell Banker Commercial in Victorville.

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Retail Set to be Prosperous for H.D. in 2013

By: JASON LAMOREUX

Commercial brokers expect to experience a significant increase in interest from major national brands this year, as the economic recovery impacts the local market, and as national retailers new to the region experience success in the continually expanding and vibrant High Desert. As of December 2012, the five incorporated cities of Adelanto, Apple Valley, Barstow, Hesperia and Victorville combined for a total of 16.1 million square feet of retail space, with approximately 1.5 million vacant. Overall, retail in 2012 absorbed 278,000 SF of spaces, compared to a loss of almost 67,000 square feet in 2011. In the last three years, demand for retail space increased by 429,000 square feet. A total of 589,000 square feet of retail space was delivered in that same period. The City of Victorville has the largest concentration of retail space developed with close proximity to the I-15 Freeway, followed by the City of Hesperia. Retail development along the freeway is critical to capturing dollars that in that past have been lost to outside markets, and also for bringing in significant revenues from travelers bound for Las Vegas and other areas. Strong absorption of retail space coupled with low vacancy rates in emerging retail areas are anticipated to lead to expansion and projected new construction in late 2013. Last year was a definitive point in the recovery cycle for commercial real estate in the High Desert, setting the stage for continued recovery and expansion in 2013. Trends continuing from 2012, include overall high demand, reduced inventory levels, and low vacancy rates. With retail expanding in all cities, national retailers are discovering the High Desert to be a vibrant and an underserved market. Pent-up demand for retail services stems not only from the recession, but from retail sales lost to neighboring communities in the Inland Empire. Retail sales leakage to communities such as Ontario and Rancho

Cucamonga are estimated to be 30 percent. A few of the grand openings in the first quarter of 2013 include Five Guys Burgers, Panera Bread, JC Penney, Macy’s and Wal-Mart. Panera Bread launched their new concept store in January of 2013, and reported Victorville as one of their most successful openings of any new store in their chain. Steak-N-Shake broke ground in Adelanto, marking their first location of two in the Victor Valley. Other new retailers in 2012 included Beef O’Brady’s, Pancho Villa’s Entertainment Restaurant, O’Reilly’s Auto Parts, Dollar General, Freddy’s Steak Burger & Frozen Custard and Ulta Beauty, along with expansions for JoAnn Fabric & Craft, M&M Jewelers, Fred Loya and Juan Pollo Restaurant. The Mall of Victor Valley, one of the best

performing malls per square foot in the country, has enjoyed strong support for their new expansions including JCPenney, which expanded by 37,000 square feet and Macy’s which opened their first location in the High Desert in March. Last year was also strong for retail expansion in the region. Wal-Mart opened two super stores in Hesperia and Victorville, totaling 387,500 square feet of new retail space. Victorville’s existing Wal-Mart store operations were relocated to the new super store to provide greater expansion and better freeway frontage to Interstate-15. Wal-Mart continues to move forward with plans for three additional super store formats in the cities of Adelanto, Apple Valley and Victorville, leading other national retailers to take notice of the area.

The High Desert population of 455,000 continues to grow at a strong rate, having increased 2.1% last

year alone. Across all municipalities in the

region, retail sales have increased 7% over last year as reported in the

municipalities’ sales tax collection data.

Panera Bread in Victorville. Photo courte-sy of Victor Valley Chanber of Commerce

RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE 10

Caroll Yule is President/Broker/Owner of Shear Realty, the highest selling residential real estate company in the High Desert.

Many factors should be taken into account when considering whether one should rent or buy their home. Location is one of the most important. According to the latest California Association of Realtors (CAR) market report for California, if you purchased a home in the Inland Empire or in Los Angeles County instead of renting a similar home, you would have saved approximately 40% per month. In San Francisco or San Diego, however, the savings would only be 12% or 15% respectively. Regardless of which side of the home ownership fence you fall, another concern should be whether your financial circumstances are sufficient to qualify for the house and property tax payment in the neighborhood you want to live. Included in this comparison were the following costs. For a Purchase: Monthly mortgage payment, insurance, taxes, improvements & repairs. These costs were offset by current mortgage interest and tax deductions and investment appreciation. For Renting: Monthly rent payment, renter insurance. These costs were offset by the appreciation of investing the down payment in the stock market. You need to remember, too, that rent prices change from year to year, but the payment on a fixed rate mortgage does not change. There are other factors to consider before adopting the owner or renter lifestyle. Is your family faced with frequent job transfers? If your employer is not going to help offset these large losses, it may be better to rent until your employment situation is more certain. Something else to consider in any buy/rent decision besides simply the costs, is whether

or not you want the responsibility of owning a home. Perhaps your job requires a lot of travel. Maybe you spend every weekend at the river. If your schedule doesn’t allow time for home repairs perhaps your needs are better met by calling property management when the plumbing leaks. When considering buying a fixer upper, make sure that you take into account the time and convenience factors. Another non-financial consideration in favor of home ownership is the enjoyment of making a house your own personal home. Being able to “nest” is priceless for some people. If you are a renter you may not be able to plant a vegetable garden, your favorite fruit tree, or paint your bedroom hot pink. Many High Desert homeowners have chosen our wide-open spaces so that they can have five horses and a pet goat in their backyard. With home ownership you won’t have a landlord tell you to move out of the house you’ve made your home. If a comparison of numbers is the only factor in your renting or buying decision, you will find that most experts will tell you that owning a home is a better financial investment, especially now in a rising market. In my opinion the very best reason to buy a home and not rent is to be able to pay off your mortgage prior to your retirement. You should check with your financial advisor or retirement planner but I believe they would concur. By the time you decide that you no longer want the work of maintaining your mortgage-free home, that home becomes a wonderful source of equity for the next transition.

To Rent or Buy? That is the Question

Included in this comparison were the following costs. For a Purchase: Monthly mortgage payment, insurance, taxes, improvements & repairs. These costs were offset by current mortgage interest and tax deductions and investment appreciation. For Renting: Monthly rent payment, renter insurance. These costs were offset by the appreciation of investing the down payment in the stock market. You need to remember, too, that rent prices change from year to year, but the payment on a fixed rate mortgage does not change.

What Is The Smart Decision In This High Desert Market?

By: CAROLL YULE

Bring Clients. Bring Staff.

DARRYL EVEYExecutive Director Family Assistance Program

MAY 8th7:00 - 9:00 a.m.

RSVP Space is limited: Mail@HDBJ.Biz

or call 760.244.8596

PEOPLEYOU NEEDTO KNOW

LIVE

INTERVIEW

SERIESFireside Chat

With Editor

Gretchen Losi12

Bring Clients. Bring Staff.Green Tree’s Fireside Restaurant14144 Green Tree Blvd. Victorville$20 per person - $75 Table of fourIncludes Executive Breakfast.

One of the High Desert’s most interesting men. Darryl Evey went from a U.S. Marine guarding Mother Theresa to become one of our regions most dedicated humaotarians. He has already lived 10 lifetimes - and he’s just getting started. Come learn why he is truly a treasure to our region.

APPLE VALLEY BARSTOW HESPERIA VICTORVILLEApple Valley Gas & Market ARCO Arco AM PM Arco AM/PMApple Valley Gas & Mart ARCO AM/PM Arco AM PM Arco AM/PMArco AM PM Barstow Chevron Arco AM PM Beck OilBest Buy Barstow Shell Arco AM PM Best BuyBurlington Coat Factory Calvin Klein Chevron ChevronChevron Chevron Circle K Food for Less

Circle K Circle K Fastrip Greiner Buick GMCCircle K Coach Fastrip Home DepotCity Market Gas & Deli Food 4 Less Goodspeed Autofuel Systems KohlsDel Taco Home Depot Harbor Freight Tools LowesFood 4 Less In N Out Burgers Hesperia Gas Mart Rancho MotorsHome Depot Love’s Gas Station In N Out Burgers RossKmart McDonalds Kmart SearsLowes Pilot Travel Center Marshalls ShellMcDonalds Ralph Lauren McDonalds Stater BrosMike’s Mobile Reebok Pilot Travel Center Sunland FordPetsmart Samsonite RE Goodspeed Distributing TargetRoss Soutar’s Ford/Nissan Ross Valero Depot 8Staples Soutars Toyota/Chrysler Shell Valley Hi HondaStater Bros Tesoro Refining/Marketing Shop N Go Valley Hi KiaTarget Travel Ctr. Of America Stater Bros Valley Hi NissanValero Union 76 Super Target Valley Hi ToyotaWalgreens Valero Corner Store Valero Valley Hi HyundaiWal-Mart Valmont Newmart Int’l Walgreens Victorville MotorsWinco Foods Wal-Mart Walmart Wal Mart

Who Are The High Desert’s TOP Producers?Top 25 Producers of Sales Tax Revenue by City/Town

Listed alphabetically. Adelanto did not respond to requests.

More revenue to fund public services may be on the way thanks to a healthy rise in sales tax revenue throughout the High Desert, according to third quarter reports. However, officials say while it’s a positive sign – it’s not THE sign. A good portion of any city’s economic sustainability is in direct relation to its sales tax revenue. Cities that have a good stream of sales tax revenue are able to provide much-needed services to its residents. Among the Victor Valley communities, Hesperia has shown the greatest increase in per capita sales tax since the first quarter of 2010, through third quarter of 2012 at 40.2% vs the next greatest increase of 22.31% in Apple Valley. “What has changed in Hesperia has put us in an enviable position, especially if we have a few more quarters of it,” said Brian Johnson, assistant city manager, director of management services. Hesperia received more sales tax income than the Victor Valley average in 2012 “We’re having more sales tax revenue generated in our city and we’re theoretically importing consumers from outside our area,” said Johnson. While some of that credit goes to obvious factors

H.D. GOVERNMENT

that Hesperia didn’t have a few years ago such as Super Target, Marshalls and the new Wal-Mart, the other major component is fuel. Hesperia received 48 percent of sales tax revenue from fuel related sources like gas stations, the Pilot Center and Goodspeed Fuel. For the third quarter, Apple Valley received sales tax revenue with a whopping 15.5 percent increase over the same quarter last year. An increase in sales activity in family apparel and several new stores helped the big boost. Restaurants also showed a healthy rise in revenue from last year. Barstow’s need for fuel was a driving force in the city’s impressive 13 percent increase. Barstow’s fuel-related receipts surpassed both county and state trends while the city’s onetime use tax allocation boosted an already high returns in business and industry from temporary capital projects. Victorville’s gains stemmed from the same sales as those felt throughout the state – new cars. At a state level, according to HdL the firm that reports tax trends, continued strong demand for new cars has exceeded all expectations and generated about one-fourth of our state’s

Local Sales Tax Revenue on the RiseRetail, Fuel and Autos Give a Boost

By: EDITOR GRETCHEN LOSI

For every $100 you spend locally, $8 is taxed and $1 of that goes back into your community.

increase. Victorville new auto sales surpassed both county and state trends. New retail in Victorville also helped. While this is good news, it doesn’t offer the sigh of relief most are waiting for. High Desert cities expect gains in sales tax to be lower for the first half of 2013. This is in part due to uncertainties stemming from the

“fiscal cliff ” among other things. “We don’t have a lot of good information as to where we are heading in the future but we expect things to stabilize without any big drops. However nothing indicates we will have a big increase either,” said Johnson. Experts hope the report will show signs of promise when it comes out in August from the San Bernardino County Assessor’s office. “We’re seeing some improvement but the fact that there are no new single family residential permits is extremely important to us,” said Johnson. “The measure I am looking for is the assessed valuation.” That is slated to be released in August and will be published for 2013/2014. The business community and city leaders are hoping for higher numbers as an indicator that the local economy is once again heading in a healthy direction. “After four years of it going down, we are looking for a sign that we’ve bottomed out in this great recession and are once again showing signs of health,” said Johnson. There are no restrictions on how a municipality can use sales tax funds. In the case of Apple Valley and Hesperia sales tax helps fund general government services, the most important of which is public safety. After repeated requests, Adelanto city officials did not provide their quarterly report for this article.

Imported Sales Tax-101Purchases made by residents within their own community retain or ‘capture’ sales tax, however, when those same residents make their purchases in another city, the sales tax associated with those sales are lost to their own community. That condition is referred to as sales tax ‘leakage’ and it means that money has been removed from a community’s economy. Sales tax leakage usually indicates the need for more retail development. “Shop Local” campaigns attempt to staunch leakage by encouraging residents to shop within their own community, as typically sales tax revenue is used to benefit the town’s residents – often in the form of public safety.Typically, sales tax leakage can occur as a whole, or in specific categories. New car sales are one of the best illustrations of sales tax leakage. There are no new car dealers located in the Victor Valley other than in Victorville; therefore, Victorville captures all new car sales tax from purchases made in the Victor Valley, and all other cities “hemorrhage” new car sales tax. It must be noted, though, that Victorville also experiences new car sales tax leakage whenever a local resident chooses to purchase a new car from a dealer down the hill.The usual approach to calculating sales tax leakage is to make a per capita comparison of a city against the whole, which can be a region, a county and even a state. When the capture of sales tax by a community exceeds 100% of the per capita sales tax of the total valley, that community has imported sales tax. Measure I records indicate that in the fourth quarter of 2012, the sales tax per capita for the Victor Valley (including unincorporated areas) was $19.61. If a city’s per capita sales tax exceeds that, then the city has imported sales tax. Historically, Victorville has always imported sales tax, but with the advent of new retail markets, they are no longer the only city doing so. The city of Hesperia has now imported sales tax revenue three times in the past 7 quarters.

BUSINESS12

In the State’s latest effort to go paperless, a new law requires businesses that store hazardous materials to report information electronically, which may pose some challenges to small business owners. Effective January 1, 2013, the passage of Assembly Bill 2286 requires all businesses in California regulated by local government agencies, called Unified Program Agencies, to file hazardous materials-related information via the Internet. This includes information about hazardous materials, underground and aboveground storage tanks, and hazardous waste stored at the location of business. The disclosure of hazardous materials-related information is intended to provide critical information to first responders on the location, quantity, and types of hazardous chemicals in the event of an emergency. Small business owners with limited resources can be stretched thin trying to balance operating costs with regulatory compliance. While CERS streamlines the data management and reporting of hazardous materials-related information, it does not reduce the level of regulatory complexity that most business owners often have difficulty understanding. However, not understanding these regulations could have a profound effect on a business’s bottom line. California has some of the strictest and most complex environmental laws in the country relating to hazardous materials management. Failure to submit a Hazardous Materials Business Plan can result in fines up to $5,000 per day. In addition to the Hazardous Materials Business Plan, there are numerous other reporting elements depending on whether a business has underground or aboveground tanks, or if it engages in hazardous waste treatment or recycling activities. There are approximately 1,100 regulated business facilities in the High Desert. In San Bernardino County, approximately 7,000 business facilities are regulated by two CUPAs- the San Bernardino County Fire Department, and the City of Victorville Fire Department. The City’s Fire Department oversees businesses located within the city limits, while the County’s Fire Department regulates businesses located in all other areas within the county. The most commonly filed information is a document called the Hazardous Materials Business Plan (HMBP). Business owners familiar with the reporting requirements may have in the past prepared an HMBP on paper forms. The HMBP contains information such as business name and location, hazardous materials type and inventory, hazard class and category, contingency and employee training plans, and site map. First responders and CUPA staff responding to a hazardous materials release are often equipped with this critical information. This is especially important because knowing what hazardous chemicals are stored inside a building prior to arriving to an emergency situation can be extremely useful and

New Legislation = New Challenge for Small BusinessesCalifornia Businesses Move Forward with Electronic Reporting of Hazardous Materials Information By: KEVIN YANG

potentially life-saving. In the past, this information was provided in paper formats. The electronic reporting requirement directly impacts a large number of businesses in California covering a wide variety of industries as diverse as gas stations and restaurants, and grocery stores and oil refineries.

Examples of regulated businesses include and are not limited to automotive repair and body shops, gas stations, dry cleaners, restaurants, retail and grocery stores, pharmacies, schools and universities, agricultural farms, junk yard and metal recyclers, oil refineries, telecommunication,

public utilities, medical and dental offices, and hospitals. To understand the scope of this new law, it is important to know how it evolved. According to the California Environmental Protection Agency (Cal/EPA), there are approximately 145,000 business facilities currently regulated by a total of 83 Unified Program Agencies in California. In most cases, these agencies consist of local city or county fire or environmental health departments charged with the responsibility of overseeing functions such as fire prevention, public health, land use and planning, and restaurant sanitation inspections. During the early 90s, laws related to hazardous materials were enforced by a myriad of government agencies in an overlapping and duplicating manner. In 1993, with the passage of Senate Bill 1082, a number of local government agencies were certified on or before January 1, 1996, by the Secretary of Cal/EPA through a formal application and review process. These local regulatory agencies are referred to as Certified Unified Program Agencies (CUPAs). The primary function of a CUPA is to consolidate and coordinate permits, inspections, and enforcement activities of hazardous materials-related programs outlined by several state and local laws. In an effort to assist businesses in California to comply with the new electronic reporting mandate, Cal/EPA established a website called the California Environmental Reporting System (CERS) cers.calepa.ca.gov. The creation of this website was funded by a $25 electronic surcharge fee paid by regulated businesses over a three-year period from 2009 through 2012. This convenient website allows electronic reporting of hazardous materials-related information by business owners to any CUPA in the state. It contains helpful training tools and videos on how to create a user account and navigate through some of its key features. In general, each regulated business facility is a distinct CERS record with a unique CERS ID number. One of the benefits of CERS is that it

allows large corporate entities, called multi-jurisdictional businesses, to consolidate all facility records under one user account. This greatly reduces reporting burden by allowing business users to manage multiple records, sometimes numbering into thousands, under a single user login account. Users will also find that the website is actually composed of a Business Portal and a Regulator Portal. Information submitted by businesses via the Business Portal is reviewed by regulators, often by CUPA inspectors responsible for the area where the business is located. Regulators can set submittal statuses such as ‘Accept’ or ‘Not Accept’ in the Regulator Portal. Businesses receive automated e-mail messages stating the status of a submittal, sometimes with comments by the regulator containing instructions on how to correct a deficient submittal. This process eliminates paper mailing and significantly reduces the time necessary in order to obtain accurate and complete information. For complete information, contact the CERS Help Center at cers@calepa.ca.gov or visit www.cers.calepa.ca.gov.

Kevin Yang is a Hazardous Materials Reporting Consultant. He can be reached at (760) 662-7988

California has some of the strictest and most complex environmental laws in the country relating to hazardous materials management. Failure to submit a Hazardous Materials Business Plan can result in fines up to $5,000 per day.

market or expanding within our market, “said Colleen Butcher of RavenTek Realty. Butcher said that a lot of restaurants that are not currently in the High Desert are looking to expand here, but can’t find qualified franchisees. According to Butcher there are still expansion opportunities within all of the major retail locations along the freeway corridor, and there’s even new interest in the Highway 395 corridor for the first time in a long time. Panchero’s Mexican Grill, represented by Butcher, will likely put its first California store in the High Desert, and several others are showing serious interest. Some large retail groups who already own other land along the freeway are just waiting for the right time to build. Despite the fact that there is still space available in current retail centers, the rate of growth in the High Desert proves that Ross’ bet may indeed pay off.

BUSINESS 13

Who Owns It? By RYAN ORR

Freeway frontage property is like gold. With the majority of the Inland Empire built out, the High Desert still has acres and acres of land for development along the Interstate 15 corridor. As the fastest growing region in the county, the Victor Valley’s freeway properties are a promising investment. The biggest owner along the entire corridor is Carl Ross, who owns at least 1,000 acres along Interstate 15 in the Victor Valley. Based out of Henderson, Nevada, Ross has taken a gamble and invested millions in High Desert land because he believes it’s going to be the new hotspot in Southern California. “If I am right, I’ll make a ton of money. If I’m wrong then my kids will make a ton of money,” said Ross. “The future of Southern California is in the High Desert. It’s beautiful and the weather’s nice.” Ross isn’t the only one banking on the region. Several national chains are looking to expand into California and are looking at the High Desert to make their entrée into the market. Not far behind him in land ownership is the Lewis Group of Companies and Herb Krumsick. Recognized as one of the top investment brokers in the United States, Krumsick has sold over $1 billion in real estate investments. “There are major national tenants that are either coming into our market for the first time or relocating within our

Map of land in Hesperia along Interstate 15 Freeway and the investors who own it.

EDITORS NOTE:This is part one of a series where HDBJ will take a look at “Who Owns It?,” in the H.D. offering insight as to what is coming and how it’s going to get here.

Ryan Orr has been published in several magazines and was a reporter and political columnist for the Daily Press. He continues writing by contributing to local publications within the water and wastewater industry.

For more information about our Primary Care Physicians or to join Heritage, call 760.245.4747 or visit www.hvvmg.comFor more information about our Primary Care Physicians or to join Heritage, call 760.245.4747 or visit www.hvvmg.com

There’s a Name for

High-Quality Care in the High Desert.

There’s a Name for

High-Quality Care in the High Desert.Heritage Victor Valley Medical Group is pleased to announce the addition of a new Business Development Department. This department is being added to work with Local Businesses to assist in the access to healthcare related issues in the work place. Whether it be an employee health fair during open enrollment or you need a physician to do a presentation at your workplace, Heritage is here to help!

We are here to help: •Establish relationships with local businesses •Assist with health related issues in the work place •Provides access to medical personnel for informational talks •Participation in employee health fairs during open enrollment period •Conduct health care screenings at regular intervals •Improve employee health •Increase production and decrease lost days •Form better relationships between medical providers and the working population •Promote a healthier lifestyle •Develop an employee fitness program

For more information, contact Steve Orr at Business Development: 760-245-4747 ext. 498

Colleen Butcher

Margaret R. Peterson, PhD is the Chief Executive Officer of Desert Valley Medical Center and one of a growing number of female hospital administrators in the United States. Over the past four years, she has guided the hospital to some remarkable achievements including recognition as a Top 100 Hospital in the Nation. These recognitions are earned only after stringent standards have been met regarding the quality of patient care.

"I am extremely fortunate to have a knowledgeable and dedicated staff of physicians and nurses who typically go above and beyond to ensure we always make our patients the number one priority in everything we do," noted Dr. Peterson.

The recent expansion of the hospital demonstrates a real commitment to the High Desert community. Cardiac patients no longer have to travel far to receive world-class care thanks to one of the most advanced heart centers in the country which has already attracted leading surgeons. This transition to a Tertiary Care Center allows the hospital to receive patients who are transferred from other facilities for a higher level of care.

Dr. Peterson is also proud of the hospital's many outreach programs which educate the community on health promotion activities, disease prevention and personal safety. They range from walking clubs to smoking cessation and diabetes management to emergency disaster preparedness demonstrations. The Desert Valley Senior Wellness Center in Apple Valley provides many free services to local seniors designed to keep them healthy, including weekly health screenings and benefits-based programming. As health care reform is introduced these services will play a vital role in lowering costs for everyone.

The objective is for health promotion activities and preventative care to keep people healthy and out of the hospital and ultimately make quality health care more affordable.

The healthcare industry faces a daunting challenge in the coming years as more government involvement means more regulations and bureaucracy. The medical community must adapt to these impending changes without compromising the quality of care.

"Our hospital is well positioned to meet the challenges presented by health care reform," continued Dr. Peterson. "The bottom line is that we must all do our part to stay healthy and it is incumbent upon us, as a healthcare leader in the High Desert, to educate our community on how a sensible lifestyle can accomplish that goal.

The hospital also sponsors the annual High Desert Fitness Challenge, the Annual Block Walk,and the Women’s Expo which are all excellent examples of community outreach. They require an extraordinary amount of work to organize and benefit from the voluntary participation of hospital staff, allowing us to continue our mission of health promotion and education.

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“It is often said that the quality of life in a community can be measured by the quality of the healthcare provided,” continued Dr. Peterson. "There is a passion and camaraderie among our staff, most of who reside in the local community, which I witness on a daily basis. For those on the frontlines it can be extremely taxing, both professionally and emotionally, and we are fortunate to have some of the best physicians and nurses in the business.”

The days ahead will present many challenges and Desert Valley Medical Center is well prepared as it approaches its 20th anniversary. It has come a long way over the past two decades garnering numerous accolades and awards while growing and expanding to meet the needs of our community.

Dr. Margaret Peterson, CEO of Desert Valley Medical Center

Desert Valley Medical CenterLeading the wayBy: NICOLE ARAGON

The recent expansion of Desert Valley Medical Center demonstrates a real commitment to the High Desert community.

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*Credit decisions subject to credit qualification. Offer only valid for vehicles financed with new Equipment Express® loans approved and booked from 4/16/13 through 6/30/13. To qualify, customers must complete loan documentation requirements and deposit the loan check within 30 days of loan approval date. This offer is not valid for businesses located in the state of Connecticut. Gift card mailed within 60 days of loan check issue date. Gift card is subject to terms and conditions of the issuer. The value of the gift card will be reported as income to the IRS, state, and local tax authorities if required by applicable law, and the recipient is responsible for any federal, state, or local taxes due on this gift card.

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Rank Name, Address, Telephone, Fax, Website Licensed Beds

Local Employees

Local Physicians

Local RNs

Total Visits2012(Inaptient/Outpatient)

Total ER Visits 2012

Services Top Executive/Title Year Founded Locally

1 St. Joseph Health, St. Mary18300 Highway 18 Apple Valley, CA 92307760-242-2311www.stmaryapplevalley.com

212 1,700 325 700 119,446 78,842 Acute Care Hospital with comprehensive heart care services, robotic assisted surgery, NICU and Community Health Centers in Apple Valley, Hesperia and Adelanto.

Alan GarrettCEO

1956

2 Desert Valley Medical Center16850 Bear Valley Road, Victorville, CA 92395760-241-8000/760-241-8220www.dvmc.com

148 DNR DNR DNR DNR DNR Cardio-Neuro Diagnostics, Surgical Services, Birth Center Services, Heart Centerw/Catheterization Labs, Senior Services.

Margaret R. Peterson, PhDCEO

1994

3 Victor Valley Global Medical Center 15248 Eleventh Street Victorville, CA 92395760/245-8691 hospital main linewww.vvch.org

101 573 211 199 17,348 32,461 24-hour emergency services, outpatient/inpatient surgery, maternity, gynecologic, imaging, cardiac cathe-terization lab, respiratory & physical therapy, neo-natal intensive care unit (NICU), intensive care unit (ICU), and pediatric services.

Suzanne RichardsInterim CEO

1967

4 Barstow Community Hospital820 E. Mountain View St., Barstow, CA 92311760-256-1761Fax: 760-957-3048BarstowHospital.com

30 290 65 125 4,641 25,029 A 30-bed, full-service acute care facility that provides greatly expanded patient care, advanced technology.

Sean FowlerCEO

1957

LISTSAREAS LARGEST HOSPITALS

15

Ranked by number of beds. Information received by each institution. To be considered for future lists, send e-mail to MAIL@HDBJ.Biz.. Upcoming lists include residential and commercial brokers, appraisers, contractors.

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