Accounting
Allen Wine Group, LLP, a Calistoga-based wine industry business advisory service and CPA firm, now offers bookkeeping services. That complements the firm’s existing contract CFO and controller services. The firm has expanded since opening in 2009, adding partners Gina Carte, Deanna Partridge and Bill Atwood.Energy
Nine Marin County communities recently qualified for national “Green Power Community” recognition by the Environmental Protection Agency due to the countywide switch to renewable electric service from Marin Clean Energy. EPA Green Power Communities are towns and cities in which the local government, residents, and businesses collectively purchase renewable energy in amounts that exceed EPA’s green power purchase requirements. Cities and towns that opted for MCE’s renewable energy service have immediately earned a position on the top of the EPA’s national Green Power Community Challenge ranking, based on the green power percentage of total electricity use by local government, businesses and residents. Corte Madera ranked first among all California cities coming in sixth on the list with Larkspur, Fairfax, Mill Valley and San Anselmo following and making the nation’s top 10 Green Power Communities. San Rafael, Ross, Tiburon and Belvedere are among the top 15.Manufacturing
Rohnert Park-based sheet metal engineering and fabricator ASM Precision, Inc., purchased and installed a new AMADA EMLK 3610NT punch and laser combination machine, which retails for $800,000. The U.S.-built machine enables 6-year-old ASM to process thicker materials and laser-cut more complex shapes with greater precision, efficiency and speed. Mario Felciano, president and partner, said its the fastest CNC punch-laser machine on the market and expand the company's ability to manufacture just about anything and provide prototype parts faster yet without the added cost of special tooling. Mr. Felciano said that increase in production capabilities will generate sales in new markets, prompting the need for extended shifts and the hiring of more production workers in the near future. Sales for ASM, which employs 25, have grown annually by 25 percent on average and the shop has expanded from 8,000 square feet to more than 19,000 square feet.
Zap Jonway Automobile (ZAAP), manufacturer of electric vehicles and other new energy vehicles with operations in Santa Rosa and China, is exhibiting at the 15th International Shanghai Automobile & Manufacturing Technology Exhibition. Zap said it has signed up several more dealerships in China. ZAP Jonway exhibited seven vehicles, unveiling its 2013 new Jonway-Falcon model announced earlier, and also its new Italian designed models for both the five-door and the three-door SUVs, designed by Maggoria/Viotti. Real Estate
The city of Santa Rosa earned the highest achievement for its economic development programming -- the Award of Excellence -- from the California Association of Local Economic Development. The city’s Aggressive Economic Development Zoning measures was one of two programs statewide to be recognized with this award from the Sacramento-based organization. City representatives received this award during the annual CALED Conference held in Long Beach on April 11. The zoning measures earned the award for success in implementing zoning changes that have helped the local community proactively respond to the "Great Recession." Santa Rosa’s zoning changes aimed to reduce uncertainty in the entitlement process, expedite re-occupancy of vacant commercial properties and support local job creation. Some of those measures include automatic time extensions, more uses by right, fee deferrals and over-the-counter approval for small projects.Retail
Healdsburg SHED, a multifaceted market, cafe, coffee bar, fermentation bar and "modern Grange" event center is now open to the public. (See "Healdsburg project aims to take shoppers to 'foodshed,'" Dec. 17.) Booking the 2,750-square-foot meeting space is available at healdsburgshed.com.
