Business News and Announcements
Compiled by Camas Frank

The Young Professional’s Networking Group of San Luis Obispo County (YPNG) is looking for board members to oversee different aspects of their operation including: the Outdoors, Community Involvement and Promotions. Email if interested in an application or go online to ypng.org for more information.

French Hospital Medical Center hosted an official ribbon cutting, unveiling the newly remodeled front entrance, atrium, courtyard, and reflection pool. On May 13, community were also invited to share in the celebration of the, “ongoing transformation of our facility with a barbecue catered by G. Brothers Smokehouse and short program.” The hospital architect also discussed the progress of the Copeland Forbes and Rossi Health Pavilion with plans for the next phases of construction.
CoastHills Credit Union recently hired a marketing officer and two newly created positions.  Cathy Cachu, who comes to CoastHills with 27 years of experience with Rabobank, is the new assistant vice president, commercial lending. Cachu oversees business services of the credit union, including underwriting, processing and business development through mentoring branch managers. Scott Doi has been hired as the new assistant vice president, retail sales. With nearly two decades of experience within financial institutions, including the past five years mentoring managers on the Central Coast for JP Morgan Chase, Doi will oversee relationship managers and lending specialists for CoastHills as well as coordinate branch sales and service activities in the areas of consumer loans and deposits, product penetration and member relationship development. Joshua D. Scroggin joins CoastHills as the credit union’s first social media officer. The former sports reporter at The Tribune will guide social media efforts and support the marketing team in website optimization, content creation and communications strategy.

A Cal Poly student is one of three university students across the nation to receive the 2015 American Society of Landscape Architects Council of Fellows Scholarship.  Rachel SantaOlalla, who plans to graduate in December 2016 with a bachelor’s in landscape architecture and a minor in land rehabilitation, was a team leader of a project that received an ASLA national award of excellence last November for a playground Cal Poly students designed and built at an orphanage in Alexandria Township, South Africa.

Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center hosted a BBQ for all San Luis Obispo County First Responders (Firefighters, Police Officers & Paramedics) and Hospital Employees May 13, in honor of Trauma Awareness Month, Hospital Week & Emergency Medical Services Week. A hospital spokesman said they were, “grateful for our county’s first responders who work side-by-side with hospital staff every day to provide actual hands-on-care for our community’s most critically injured patients.” In 2012, Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center became San Luis Obispo County’s first Trauma Center.

San Luis Obispo High School alumni and former USA Olympic water polo defender, Jeff Powers, is set to teach a youth water polo clinic, in collaboration with SLO Water Polo Club, a non -profit water polo organization.    Along with former USA Olympic teammate, Brian Alexander, the water polo clinic, SLO Pro Clinic, will be taught on June 6 and 7, by the pair and focus on water polo fundamentals.   “We’re excited to have this local home town hero [Powers] return to SLO and teach our athletes,” explains Stephen Jomaoas, Founder and Director of SLO Water Polo Club.  “The skills Powers and Alexander bring to the pool are exceptional, and we can’t wait to host them.”   The educational summit will center on water polo shooting, passing, pre-game techniques, and defensive drills. At the end of June 6, participants will have the opportunity to take a picture with Powers and Alexander. The clinic will end, on June 7, with a video about the Olympians’ 2008 Beijing silver metal win, as well as a Q&A session. For more information or additional press opportunities, please contact Stephen Jomaoas at or 209-625-7923.

The League of Women Voters of San Luis Obispo County will hold its 2015 Annual Meeting on June 6, at the Upper Crust Trattoria in San Luis Obispo.  At the meeting, ten local members will be honored for 50 years of service to the League.  They are Arlene Chandler, Jan Clucas, Dotty Conner, GlennaDeane Dovey, Margery Johnson, and Adele Stern of San Luis Obispo, Joy Gault of Los Osos, Emily Penfield of Cambria, and Barbara Weymann and Sharon Winslow of Atascadero. Clucas, Conner, and Winslow are founding members of the League of Women Voters of San Luis Obispo County, established in 1962.  They are past presidents of the League as are Dovey, Stern, and Penfield. The membership business meeting begins at 11:00 a.m.  Members will adopt a budget and program for 2015 – 2016 and elect Officers and Directors for the program year that begins on July 1.  The business meeting will be followed by lunch at 12:45 p.m. and a presentation by Dr. Sam Blakeslee, Founding Director of the Institute for Advanced Technology and Public Policy based at Cal Poly. Blakeslee, a former State Legislator, will discuss the Institute’s Digital Democracy Initiative. For more information on the League of Women Voters contact the League at 782-4040 or by email at .

The City of San Luis Obispo is requesting sealed proposals for consultant assistance to  update the City’s Subdivision Regulations. The City’s Finance Division must receive all proposals by 3:00 p.m. on June 17, when they will be opened publicly in the City Hall Council Chambers.  Proposals received after said time will not be considered. To guard against premature opening, each proposal shall be submitted to the Finance Division in a sealed envelope plainly marked with the proposal title, specification number, proposer name, and time and date of the proposal opening. Proposals shall be submitted using the forms provided in the specification package.  Specification packages and additional information may be obtained by contacting Brian Leveille at 781-7166 or via email at

The Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians and Chumash Casino Resort were recognized last week by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency with the “2014 Food Recovery Challenge certificate of achievement for its zero waste efforts.” The certificate of achievement was presented at the Regional Tribal Operations Council meeting on May 13 . Since 2013, as part of its efforts under the Food Recovery Challenge, the Chumash Casino Resort have “prevented more than 13 tons of food waste from entering landfills, and increased animal feeding of food scraps to more than 80 tons.” “Through their participation in EPA’s Food Recovery Challenge, the Chumash are providing much needed leadership in the Pacific Southwest,” said Jared Blumenfeld, EPA’s Regional Administrator for the Pacific Southwest. “They are fighting climate change and advancing the cause of zero waste in Santa Barbara County.” For more information on the Food Recovery Challenge, please visit: www.epa.gov/foodrecoverychallenge.

Pacific Western Bank recently presented Peoples’ Self-Help Housing with a $10,000 check in recognition of the award winning nonprofit’s 45th Anniversary in 2015.   Peoples’ kicked off its 45th Anniversary year on April 23 with a luncheon at the Madonna Inn in San Luis Obispo. The festivities continue Nov. 13 with Peoples’ 45th Anniversary Gala Dinner & Auction at the Santa Barbara Historical Museum. “Community partners like Pacific Western Bank are what have helped Peoples’ to grow from a small, community initiative to a nonprofit that owns and manages more than 1,500 affordable rental units and has helped more than 1,100 low-income families build their own homes across the Tri-Counties,” said PSHH CEO/President John Fowler. “For more, visit: www.pshhc.org.

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